Under certain conditions, French nationals and those from member countries of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program benefit from a special procedure for traveling to the USA. If they hold a passport that meets the criteria set by the American authorities, and if they obtain the ESTA electronic travel authorization, they are exempt from visa requirements for business, tourist or transit visits of up to 90 days. USA visas are still required in other circumstances, as well as for nationals of countries that are not members of the Visa Waiver Program. So, if you’d like to visit the USA and some of its most popular cities, such as
Travelling to the USA with the ESTA document
All nationals of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, including the French, are exempt from visa requirements for short-term travel to New York and all major American cities. However, travelers must meet several conditions before being admitted to the U.S. territory. Firstly, they must have a valid passport, either biometric or electronic.
Secondly, the ESTA must be obtained by completing an online form. In addition, the traveler must bring a round-trip airline ticket as proof that he or she intends to leave U.S. soil within the 90-day time limit. It should also be noted that if the traveler eligible for the exemption does not meet one of these criteria, obtaining a visa from the American embassy will be the only alternative for entering the USA.
Applying for ESTA is much easier than applying for a visa at the US embassy. Find out how to receive your ESTA authorization as quickly as possible for your future trip to the USA.
Practical information about ESTA authorization
The ESTA is a travel authorization required by the U.S. Immigration Service and the Department of Homeland Security, for control and verification of passengers planning to stay in the U.S. for less than 90 days. You can obtain it online only, via a specialized site that can verify all your personal information, or on the official U.S. government website. The online application is subject to a fee. To validate your application, you must pay the amount requested by the platform.
The document issued is valid for 2 years or when the passport expires, despite the stated validity period. It is valid for multiple trips, up to the permitted length of stay. Data may be updated during this period, but the changes that can be made cannot be fundamental and decisive information (name, nationality, gender and passport). This type of information must be requested in an ESTA renewal application. Again, be careful when applying for a new ESTA, because even if you’ve received it the first time, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically receive it every time. In the event of a rejected application, a visa at the U.S. embassy remains the ultimate solution.