Electronic travel visas & authorizations
Travel authorizations and e-visas are restricted under the GODOS policy. We help you get certified and add the required disclosures.
If you help travelers apply for electronic visas or entry authorizations — think ESTA and EVUS in the United States, or the eTA in Canada — you have likely watched your Google Ads get disapproved without a clear explanation. This category sits squarely inside Google's Government Documents and Services (GODOS) policy, which tightly controls who may advertise the promotion of official travel documents and the fees attached to them.
Under the GODOS policy, only certified governments and their officially authorized providers may run ads that promote the direct acquisition of restricted travel authorizations. Every other advertiser — including legitimate agencies, form-assistance services, and travel facilitators — must apply for Google certification and complete Google's advertiser verification program before their ads can run.
The upside is significant: once you are certified to advertise, you can reach high-intent travelers searching for visa and entry-authorization help at exactly the moment they need it. This page explains why the category is restricted, who needs certification, the steps involved, and the mistakes that most often derail applications.
What’s restricted
- Tourism or student visas
- Reciprocity fees or entry payments
Why Google restricts electronic travel visas & authorizations ads
Electronic travel authorizations are a magnet for fraud and consumer confusion. Travelers applying for an ESTA, EVUS update, or Canadian eTA are often unfamiliar with the process, working under time pressure before a trip, and unsure which website is official. Bad actors exploit this by mimicking government portals, charging inflated or hidden fees, and harvesting sensitive passport and payment data. Google restricts the category to protect users from being misled into paying for services they believe are official government offerings.
To reinforce that protection, Google automatically appends a "Not a government website" disclosure to Search ads in this category unless the advertiser is a certified government provider. This transparency requirement means third-party facilitators must be upfront about their role, and it makes clean, honest advertising practices essential to staying compliant.
Who needs GODOS certification
- Visa and travel-authorization facilitation services that assist travelers with ESTA, EVUS, or eTA applications for a service fee
- Travel agencies and tour operators that include entry-authorization processing as part of their offering
- Immigration and document-assistance businesses that help complete or review electronic visa forms
- Online platforms that charge reciprocity fees, entry payments, or handling fees connected to travel authorizations
- Any business whose landing pages or ads reference tourism, student, or electronic travel visas even if the government portal handles the final submission
How to get certified: step by step
- 1
Confirm your business model qualifies
Determine whether you are a government entity, an officially authorized provider, or a third-party facilitator. Your category status shapes which certification path applies and what disclosures Google will require on your ads.
- 2
Align your website with GODOS requirements
Ensure your site clearly states that you are an independent service and not affiliated with any government. Display your fees, refund terms, and the distinction between your service charge and any official government fee before checkout.
- 3
Apply for Google GODOS certification
Submit the certification application for the Government Documents and Services category, accurately describing the electronic travel authorizations you assist with and the countries you serve, such as US ESTA/EVUS or Canadian eTA.
- 4
Complete advertiser verification
Finish Google's advertiser verification program, providing business documentation and identity information so Google can confirm who is behind the account and ads.
- 5
Configure ads and landing pages for the required disclosure
Prepare for the automatic "Not a government website" disclosure on Search ads and make sure your creative, claims, and landing pages remain consistent with your certified, non-government status.
- 6
Monitor, respond, and maintain compliance
After approval, keep documentation current and address any warnings promptly. Google issues warnings at least 7 days before suspension, so a fast, correct response protects your account.
Common mistakes that get ads disapproved
- Using government logos, official seals, or domain names and layouts that imply the site is an official ESTA, EVUS, or eTA portal
- Hiding or blurring the service fee, or presenting it in a way that travelers mistake for the official government charge
- Failing to clearly disclose that the business is an independent facilitator and not a government website
- Making guarantees of visa approval or entry, which no third party can promise
- Running ads before both GODOS certification and advertiser verification are complete
- Ignoring Google's warning notices instead of correcting the flagged issue within the notice window
How we help
We guide travel-authorization businesses through the entire GODOS certification process, from assessing whether your model qualifies as an authorized provider or third-party facilitator to preparing your website, fee disclosures, and application materials so they meet Google's expectations for ESTA, EVUS, and eTA advertising. We know the specific pitfalls that get visa-assistance advertisers disapproved and help you correct them before you submit.
Our team also supports you through advertiser verification, helps you structure ads and landing pages around the mandatory "Not a government website" disclosure, and advises on responding to warnings quickly. We work with clients worldwide and are not affiliated with Google; final decisions always rest with Google, so we cannot guarantee approval — but we position your application for the strongest possible outcome.
Region-specific examples
Related services
Google Ads Policy Audit
A full review of your account, ads, and landing pages against the GODOS policy, with a prioritized fix list.
Ad Copy Compliance
We rewrite ad copy and extensions to meet policy requirements without losing performance.
Landing Page Optimization
Compliant, high-converting landing pages with the correct disclaimers and disclosures.
Google & Government Verification
Guidance through Google certification and the advertiser verification program, step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Can I advertise ESTA or eTA application services if I am not a government agency? +
Yes, but only after you obtain GODOS certification and complete Google's advertiser verification program. As a third-party facilitator you will also see the automatic "Not a government website" disclosure added to your Search ads, and your site must clearly present your independent, non-government role and your service fees.
Why does Google add a "Not a government website" label to my travel visa ads? +
Google applies this disclosure automatically to non-government advertisers in the GODOS category to protect travelers from confusion. It is not a penalty — it is a transparency requirement. Certified government providers do not receive it, but authorized facilitators should expect it and design their messaging accordingly.
Do reciprocity fees and entry payments fall under this category? +
Yes. Promoting reciprocity fees, entry payments, or any charges tied to travel authorizations is treated as restricted under the GODOS policy. Ads referencing these payments require certification and clear disclosure separating your service fee from the official government charge.
What happens if my visa-service ads violate the policy? +
Google typically issues a warning at least 7 days before suspending an account for GODOS violations. Using that window to fix the flagged issue — such as adding a required disclosure or removing misleading claims — is critical to keeping your account active.
Does certification for US ESTA/EVUS also cover Canadian eTA ads? +
Certification is based on your business and the categories you apply for, but you should accurately list every authorization type and country you serve. If you assist travelers with both US ESTA/EVUS and Canadian eTA, make that clear in your application and keep your landing pages consistent for each region.
Can you guarantee my Google Ads account will be approved? +
No. We are an independent consultancy and are not affiliated with Google, and all certification and verification decisions are made solely by Google. What we can do is prepare your website, disclosures, and application to meet the policy requirements as closely as possible, which gives you the best chance of a successful outcome.