Digital documents: how to manage visas online

Filling out the online application: data, photo and file formats

Every character entered in the form must correspond exactly to what is written on the passport, including any accented letters or double surnames: a discrepancy, even minimal, can cause rejection of the application or additional screening upon arrival. Each government portal has its own technical limits for photos and scans — file size in KB, dimensions in pixels, required background — published on the form page itself: they must be checked before uploading the file, because a rejected upload can cost valuable days.

Recognizing the official site (and avoiding those that are not)

The safest way to avoid inflated fees is to compare the fee requested with the one published on the official portal: the US ESTA costs 40 dollars on the site esta.cbp.dhs.gov, while the UK ETA costs 20 pounds as of April 8, 2026 on the app or official UK government websites. Any other site charging a significantly higher amount for the same form is applying an intermediation fee, which is legal but unnecessary.

After approval: print, confirmation and new biometric tools

Once approved, the digital visa should be printed in duplicate — one in carry-on baggage, one in checked baggage — because not all border checkpoints have a scanner capable of reading the file directly from your smartphone; it is also advisable to archive the confirmation email in a dedicated folder, easily retrievable in case of inspection. Those flying to the Schengen area can also pre-register their biometric data up to 72 hours before via the free Frontex «Travel to Europe» app, although in 2026 it remains active only in a few airports in Sweden and Portugal.

Before paying any site for an electronic visa, compare the fee requested with the one published on the official government portal of the destination: if it is higher, you are only paying a commission for a form you could complete yourself.