ESTA Passport Requirements

Nearly all recent machine readable UK passports will qualify as valid for the ESTA process.

If you have an extension in your UK passport, it does not meet the requirements for the Visa Waiver Program, and you cannot apply for the ESTA. If you need to travel to the United States, you can either get a new passport without an extension or apply for a visa.

Post-dated passports can be problematic when they become active near the time of travel to the United States or while on a visit to the United States. The ESTA application form's passport information must match the passport used when traveling to or within the United States. The Visa Waiver Program states that your allowable visiting period duration in the United States is up to 90 days or until you passport (used for the ESTA application) expires. You must leave the United States if the passport used for travel authorization expires, regardless if you have a post-dated passport that becomes active. Any time passport information changes, a new travel authorization must be obtained through the ESTA process.

Germany

Kinderriesepass (children's passports) are not eligible under the Visa Waiver Program unless extended or issued on or before October 26, 2006. Children's passports that are extended or issued on or before this date must also be machine readable and have a digital photograph (not attached to) printed on the biographical page. Otherwise, a child must have their own e-passport to qualify for travel authorization under the Visa Waiver Program.

The following types of identification are not valid for the Visa Waiver Program.

Temporary passports

Child ID cards (Kinderausweis)

Travel IDs

Travel Documents

There are no specific Spanish passport requirements that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

There are no specific French passport requirements that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

All passports issued since 2001 comply with the general passport requirements above and no further passport requirements are necessary.

There are no specific Italian passport requirements that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

There are no specific Japanese passport requirements that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

Citizens of Taiwan must have an e-Passport with a national ID number to indicate that the holder has household registration in Taiwan. Nationals without household registration (NWOHR) are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program.

The ESTA application form requires a personal identification number and a national identification number which can be misleading. Use the Taiwan personal identification number in both fields.

There are no specific Australian passport requirements that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

There are no specific Austrian passport requirements for adults that are necessary beyond the general passport requirements above.

Every child must possess their own qualifying passport. Children without a passport (even if included in a parent's passport) do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program.

Children's passports that were issued between June 16, 2006 and October 25, 2006 that are not e-Passport types (no chip) qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. 
Children's passports that were issued after October 25, 2006 must be e-Passports (containing a chip) to qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. 

Austrian emergency passports are not valid for the Visa Waiver Program. Emergency passports may be used for United States visa applications, however.

Citizens of the Republic of Korea must have a machine readable e-Passport (containing a chip) to qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. Passports that are not e-Passports (no chip) will not be valid for the Visa Waiver Program.