ESTA requirements to obtain this document and travel to the USA
Would you like to visit the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls? Or would you like to take a roadtrip through the American West? Under certain conditions, you can go to the USA without an American visa, using only your French passport, but you’ll need a specific authorization.
Travelers wishing to spend a temporary stay on American soil will have to apply electronically for a travel authorization, known as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). This procedure, which can be carried out online,
Persons who must apply for a travel authorization
The authorization to travel to the United States is a document valid for 2 years, and is obtained by completing the ESTA form online. This questionnaire must be completed at least 72 hours before the expected date of departure. If you don’t apply for ESTA authorization, or if you don’t meet the ESTA eligibility criteria, you must apply for a USA visa at an American consulate or embassy. ESTA authorization is required for transit, business and tourist travel to the USA. This permission is also granted to babies whose names appear on their parents’ tickets.
Reminder: to apply for an ESTA, you need to visit the official U.S. government website, or a private site. There’s no need to go to the U.S. embassy. The independent site will also check your data, detect any errors, archive your travel authorization for 2 years and provide you with an account with storage of your information.
Eligibility requirements for the Visa Waiver Program
To qualify for travel authorization, you must be a national of one of the countries included in the program and meet the following conditions:
- plan a trip of up to 90 days;
- have a biometric passport (fingerprints) or electronic passport, issued in a member country of the ENP (Visa Waiver Program);
- travel to the USA on one of the airlines or shipping companies approved by the American authorities;
- have a ticket to another country or a return ticket upon arrival in the United States. This proves that you have left the country;
- not represent a threat to the country’s internal security.
Note that in the case of stopovers, the final destination must not be an adjacent island or border territory. This condition applies only to residents of these areas.
If you meet all these eligibility criteria, you can apply for ESTA authorization. To do this, choose either the government website or an independent site. Keep your valid passport handy. You’ll need it to complete the online form (passport number, date of issue, etc.). Once you’ve applied, you’ll receive a reply within 72 hours. That’s why our team advises you to apply at least 3 days before leaving for the USA.
Please note: even if you obtain an ESTA application and a new passport, you may still be refused entry by customs. Indeed, in certain rare cases, it is possible to be refused entry. In such cases, you’ll need to apply for a U.S. visa at the U.S. embassy.
