Three in Four Travelers Complete Electronic Travel Authorizations Correctly
Seventy-six percent of travelers successfully complete their electronic travel authorizations on the first attempt, according to a new index. Passport details remain the most common reason for errors.
A recent study indicates that 76% of travelers manage to complete their electronic travel authorizations, such as the US ESTA, UK ETA, and Canada eTA, correctly upon their initial submission. The findings, part of the "Service eVisa Travel Readiness Index," highlight that errors related to passport details are the most frequent cause for corrections.
The index analyzed over 10,000 anonymized applications for travel authorizations between January and September 2026. Common mistakes identified include issues with passport numbers, issue, and expiry dates, accounting for 31% of corrections. Other frequent errors involved the order of names (19%) and confusion between nationality and the country that issued the passport (13%). Such inaccuracies can necessitate new applications and additional fees, particularly within systems like the US ESTA.
Beyond common errors, the report also reveals disparities in application accuracy across different nationalities. Travelers from Singapore, Japan, and Switzerland demonstrated the highest success rates, with over 85% of their applications being correct from the start. Fred Jordan, Director of Operations at Service eVisa, attributed these successes to travelers copying information directly from their passports.
To improve the accuracy of travel authorization applications, travelers are advised to copy details precisely from their passports, ensure names are entered in the exact order as they appear, and submit applications well in advance of their travel dates. Further details on specific requirements are available on the Service eVisa website.