US ESTA: the complete guide for Israeli travellers
Since October 2023 Israeli passport holders enter the United States without a visa — they need an electronic ESTA instead. Here is everything worth knowing before you file.
What is an ESTA, and who is it for?
ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is the electronic authorization used under the US Visa Waiver Program. It covers tourism, family visits, business meetings and conferences, and transit through the US — for stays of up to 90 days per entry. It does not cover paid work, study or immigration.
The authorization is tied to the passport number you file with; nothing is stamped in the passport itself. Renew your passport and you need a new ESTA, even if the old one has not expired.
Who needs one?
- Every traveller — Infants and children included — one authorization per person.
- Transit passengers too — Changing planes at a US airport requires an ESTA.
- Valid visa holders — If you already hold a valid B1/B2 visa you do not need an ESTA — travel on the visa.
How long does it take?
Most approvals come back within minutes to a few hours, but the official window is up to 72 hours. Applications flagged for manual review can take longer — so file at least a week before departure rather than the night before.
What does it cost?
The government fee is $21 per traveller (about ILS 78). With Visale the all-in price — fee plus form completion, expert review, filing and tracking — is ILS 167 per traveller, shown before you start. Families and groups of up to 5 get up to 25% off the service fee.
Filing, step by step
Common mistakes
- Name not matching the passport — Every letter must match the photo page, typos included.
- Date format confusion — The US form puts the month before the day (MM/DD/YYYY).
- Careless eligibility answers — A wrong declaration is far more dangerous than an honest "yes".
- Copycat websites — Dozens of sites charge hundreds of dollars. File through a known provider only.
- Travel to certain countries — Time spent in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen or North Korea since 2011 can rule out the ESTA route.
Frequently asked
File your ESTA in 10 minutes
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