be aware that you may need a
US B1/B2 non-immigrant Visa, however, if you are an Australian citizen and comply with the other requirements, you may be able to bypass the rather onerous online and in person Visa application requirements, and instead just require an
ESTA travel authorization (
Visa Waiver Program or VWP) which can be
completed online here AFTER you have a valid electronic passport.
ESTA does ask for carrier name, flight number and destination address but these are optional - see
ESTA helpESTA adds another layer of security that allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to determine, in advance of travel, whether an individual is eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program and whether such travel poses a law enforcement or security risk.
In most cases ESTA will return an Application Status immediately. In cases where more time is needed to process an electronic travel authorization application, an answer will be usually returned within 72 hours.
DHS recommends that travelers print out the travel authorization application response in order to maintain a record of their traveler authorization application number and to have confirmation of their ESTA status.
Travel authorization approvals will typically be granted for a period of two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner.
You will need to get a new approval if either:
your ESTA approval has expired or will expire before your entry into the US.
you get a new passport
change your name or gender
change your citizenship
circumstances change relating to any of the questions (ie. communicable diseases, mental disorder, criminal offence, etc)
“Neither possession of a visa, nor meeting the basic requirements for traveling visa-free on the VWP, guarantees admission to the United States. As with most countries, the final determination of admissibility is made by immigration officials at the port of entry.”
visa-free travel requires a passport with electonic data chip such as the latest Australian passports (these have a cardboard middle page which contains the data chip)
“Visa-free travel is not appropriate for journalists, crew members or those who plan to study, work, or remain more than 90 days.”
presumably visa-free travel is also not available if you have any of the following:
disadvantages of visa free travel approval:
If you are admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, you may not change or extend your non-immigrant status.
If your admission is denied, you have no right to appeal a determination as to admissibility - you will be sent back to your country of origin via the same carrier you arrived upon.
If you are found to have violated the terms of your admission, you also have no right to review or appeal, other than on the basis of an application for asylum, any removal action arising from an application for admission under the Visa Waiver Program.