To go to the United States, nationals of certain countries will not need to apply for a visa. Indeed, they will just need an ESTA travel authorization . However, to benefit from this authorization, the trip to the United States must be either for business, for tourism or for transit and the stay in the USA must not exceed three months. In addition, the trip will have to be done either by air or by sea. If you want to obtain an ESTA travel authorization, your passport must be electronic or biometric and must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in the United States. If one of these conditions is not met, you will then have to apply for a visa .
What is ESTA?
The ESTA or Electronic System of Travel Authorization is an electronic authorization system for travel to the United States. It is a system that has been put in place with the aim of enhancing the security of all travel to the United States. The ESTA travel authorization also facilitates checks at border posts by making them faster because immigration agents already have information about you even before you arrive in the United States.
The United States Department of Homeland Security will check your information against their databases and decide whether or not to approve your ESTA authorization request. If you obtain the ESTA travel authorization, it means that your trip does not pose any danger to the security of their country and is not in contradiction with American law.
Where to apply for the ESTA travel authorization?
The ESTA travel authorization is an authorization which can only be requested online. Indeed, all you have to do is go to a site specialized in French which can obtain an official ESTA document for you. The request for the ESTA travel authorization is done through an online form that you must complete. Once the form is completed, you will have to pay a fee that will correspond to your request. Once the application fee has been paid, all you have to do is wait for the response from the Department of Homeland Security.
In general, the response is received within a few minutes. However, the American authorities reserve a period of 72 hours to verify your information. You will receive a definitive answer at the end of this period. If your ESTA authorization request is refused, you will need to apply for a visa at the United States Embassy.
Validity period of the ESTA travel authorization
Once obtained, the ESTA travel authorization will be valid for a period of 2 years and for multiple entries into the USA. However, for the ESTA travel authorization to always be valid, it is essential to update the information concerning your trip each time you stay in the USA.