All citizens of countries that are members of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program are no longer required to obtain a visa to travel to the USA. In anticipation of your For temporary stays of less than 90 days in the USA, whether for business, transit or tourism, travelers are not required to apply for a US visa at the US embassy. Instead, they must obtain an ESTA authorization online.
Other conditions must also be met to take advantage of this visa-free procedure, including possession of a valid passport that meets U.S. immigration requirements, and possession of a round-trip ticket or a ticket to a second destination in case of transit. For more information on how to obtain the ESTA document, read our article.
Useful information about the ESTA travel document
Before you travel to the USA withESTA authorization, you need to know more about it.
ESTA USA requirements
Being a national of one of the countries covered by the visa waiver scheme is not enough to obtain an ESTA. The applicant must also hold a valid biometric or electronic passport. What’s more, your stay must be for tourism, business or simple transit. However, the duration of your stay in the U.S. is also important, and must not exceed 90 days.
Rapid response
It takes no more than 72 hours to receive a response from the American authorities. This rapid response is due to the electronic systems that check the veracity of the data. Don’t be surprised if you receive a response from the authorities within minutes of submitting your application online.
The duration of validity
The ESTA document is valid for 2 years. This period of validity is interesting, as it allows you to make several visits to the USA, if you wish. Each time, however, you must respect the 90-day maximum authorized by the U.S. government.
Where can I find the ESTA form?
You don’t have to go to a government office, you can do it online. The ESTA form can be found on numerous websites. To make your choice, you need to consider two factors: price and assistance. Do you want to pay more for assistance, or do you want to apply online on your own and pay less? Depending on the answer, you can choose between ordering from the official U.S. government site or requesting assistance from a private site. On the U.S. government site, the process is longer and more complex, but also more economical. On a specialized site, on the other hand, the private company takes care of your request, which inevitably entails an additional cost.
Fill in the online form
Once you’ve chosen your ordering platform, it’s time to start filling in the form. On a private site, you only need to provide
The ESTA form is a crucial step in obtaining the document, as it determines whether or not you can travel to the USA. A single error can result in an immediate refusal by the American authorities, but in this case, you can always wait 10 days before renewing your request for authorization to travel to the USA.
The USA visa remains an alternative if you are unable to receive your ESTA. All you need to do is visit your nearest American embassy. In addition to filling out a form, you’ll need to provide supporting documents and schedule an appointment with an agent at theAmerican embassy.