Most Travelers Nail Electronic Visa Applications on First Try

The analysis, covering over 10,000 applications for systems including the US ESTA, UK ETA, and Canada eTA between January and September 2026, highlights that precision is paramount. Passport data—specifically numbers and expiry dates—account for 31% of all required corrections. Other common pitfalls include mismatched name order, confusion regarding nationality versus issuing country, and incorrect date-of-birth formatting.

Travelers from Singapore lead the global rankings for accuracy, with 89.4% submitting flawless applications, followed closely by citizens of Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Fred Jordan, Director of Operations at Service eVisa, attributes these successes to meticulous data entry. He notes that even experienced travelers frequently stumble when relying on memory rather than copying details character-by-character directly from their documents. Because these authorizations are electronically tethered to a specific passport, errors often necessitate a full re-application and the payment of additional fees.