Trips to the USA
Since 2008, the Czech Republic has been included in the visa-free regime of the United States of America. You do not need to obtain a visa to travel to the USA (with some exceptions), but you do need fill out the ESTA registration form. You need registration not only when traveling by air, but also when crossing a land border (for example, between Canada and the USA) and when traveling by sea.
ESTA
The process is simple. You can find the registration form on the page https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/. It is the only official website, do not get your ESTA anywhere else. You can come across many fraudulent websites on the Internet that promise to get you an ESTA – never use them. They charge an extra fee for mediation. It is recommended to register at least 72 hours before travel. An approved ESTA has valid for two years (or until the data changes – e.g. passport replacement, name change) and from September 30, 2025 it is paid for $40.
You need your own to handle it. valid biometric passport, an email address and a credit card that allows payments over the internet. You will need to take a photo of your passport and insert the photo directly into the application.
In the application, you then fill in your personal details, travel information, and you must also fill in your place of residence and the address of your first accommodation. There are also general questions about previous travel. At the end of the form, you will pay by credit card and wait for the evaluation. The result will then arrive in your specified email inbox within a few days.
Print the approved ESTA. You will need it when checking in at the airport before boarding the plane and also upon arrival in the USA.
Under the visa-free program and with an electronic ESTA registration, you can stay in the US for business or tourism for a maximum of 90 days. Extensions under visa-free travel (with ESTA) are not possible.
When ESTA is not enough and you have to apply for a visa
If you have visited North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Syria at any time after March 1, 2011, or Cuba after January 12, 2021, then you need to apply for a visa at the US Embassy in Prague. Even if you have a valid ESTA.
You can also find information about the conditions of acquisition on the page https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html or on the website of the US Embassy in Prague https://cz.usembassy.gov/. The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic will also help you. https://mzv.gov.cz/jnp/cz/encyklopedie_statu/severni_amerika/usa/cestovani/visa.html.
Interview with an immigration officer
Approved itself ESTA does not guarantee admission to the US.. The decision to enter the US is made by the relevant Customs and Border Protection officer at the point of entry into the US. Once you enter the US, you will still have to interview with an immigration officer. If an official denies entry to the US, there is no appeal and you will be returned to the destination from which you arrived.
The interview itself with an immigration officer is not difficult at all. The basic questions are usually the same. I had an interview in Los Angeles and the questions were:
- How long will I be in Los Angeles?
- What are my plans in LA?
- What specifically do I want to see?
- What do I want to see in New York?
- Do I have a return ticket? (it's good to show it)
- Where will I stay, what is the hotel address? (it is also a good idea to show the reservation)
- Who am I flying with?
- Am I flying after someone?
- Why am I flying alone?
- Where do I work?
- In what position and for how long?
- How much money do I have available?
- Am I bringing any food?