United States: passport and entry requirements
Everyone flying to the United States needs an ESTA, an online travel authorisation you sort before you fly, children of any age included. The passport itself only has to stay valid for the length of the trip. Renewing a passport cancels any ESTA linked to it, so if one is due for renewal, do that first and apply for the ESTA afterwards.
On this page
Your passport
Your passport only needs to be valid for the length of your trip, and everyone travels on their own passport, down to the youngest. Check each one when you book, because a child's passport runs for five years where an adult's runs for ten, so they rarely come up for renewal together, and a new one takes weeks to arrive.
Getting in
UK families visit under the Visa Waiver Program, which lets you travel to the US for a holiday without a visa. In its place you need an ESTA, approved before you fly, and everyone needs their own. You apply and pay for each one separately on the official site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov, and the form asks for a photo of the passport page and a photo of the traveller's face, a selfie you can take on your phone. Copycat sites charge more for exactly the same thing.
An ESTA costs $40 per person (last checked August 2026) and lasts two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. It's tied to one passport, so anyone whose passport has changed since they last applied, by renewal or after a change of name or citizenship, has to apply and pay for a new ESTA. If you already hold one, check on esta.cbp.dhs.gov that it's still valid and matches the passport you're travelling on.
Every child needs their own passport and their own ESTA from birth. If a child is travelling with only one parent, or without either, carry a signed letter of consent from the parent who isn't there, since border officers can ask to see it.
If a family member has been to Cuba
A past trip to Cuba can affect your eligibility for the Visa Waiver Program. If anyone in the family has been to Cuba, check your position on esta.cbp.dhs.gov before you book, since it can mean applying for a US visa instead of an ESTA.
Where we cover in United States
Our family guides to the parts of United States we've researched.
Official sources
Last checked 11 August 2026. Passport and entry rules change, so always confirm on GOV.UK before you book or travel.
