Is it possible to obtain ESTA authorization from France?
Since 2009, traveling to the United States has become a little easier. You no longer need to apply for a visa, as long as you don’t intend to stay in the country for more than 3 months (90 days maximum, to be more precise). All you have to do is apply for an ESTA, which takes the form of an online form.
As the ESTA form is completed on the web, the application can be made from anywhere. Applying for ESTA from France is therefore perfectly possible. If your country of residence doesn’t have an American embassy, no problem. The ESTA application is not made through the US embassy. The ESTA authorization process is managed in the United States by the Department of Homeland Security
Does ESTA apply to the French?
France is a signatory to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, set up by the U.S. government. In all, 41 countries are covered by the program. The Visa Waiver Program is the result of a desire on the part of the American authorities to make it easier for travelers to apply for visas, thereby promoting tourism in the USA. The ESTA, on the other hand, is designed to guarantee American homeland security.
Nationals of member countries can apply for ESTA authorization to travel to the USA. To be eligible, French nationals must :
- be in possession of a valid passport, obligatorily an electronic or biometric passport;
- plan a holiday, business trip or transit ;
- stay on U.S. soil for up to 90 days;
- A return ticket on a U.S. government-approved airline.
If you have dual nationality, you can use either passport, provided both are from a VWP country. If this is not the case, please use the French passport. Be sure to present the passport linked to the ESTA at boarding and at customs.
Once you have met the requirements, you can fill out the ESTA form in French.
Where and how to fill in the ESTA form in French?
You can apply for ESTA France in a number of ways, but only online. Contrary to popular belief, the French ESTA form is available on the US government website. For translation, simply select the French language in the top right-hand corner of the official website. A number of French websites also specialize in ESTA applications, offering assistance in the language of Molière. These sites act as intermediaries and are perfectly capable of issuing you an official ESTA.
Whether you choose the official site or a private one, the ESTA form in French is a simple translation of the American form, and therefore no different. You’ll need to enter your personal details and passport data, and answer a series of questions about your health, your view of terrorism, your past visits, etc.
To validate your ESTA application on the official website, use your credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express…) to pay the $21 fee online. The request will be processed only after the payment has been validated.
When should I apply for ESTA in France?
You must apply for ESTA France at least 72 hours before the departure of your plane or cruise. However, we advise you to apply as early as possible, because if your application is rejected, you will have to apply for an American visa if a new ESTA application is not possible. Sometimes the response time from the U.S. online administration is not immediate, and the answer may remain pending for 1 to 3 days. That’s why it’s advisable to apply at least 3 days before departure.
In general, it’s advisable to apply for your ESTA as soon as you plan to travel to the USA. As the authorization is valid for two years, it’s better to have it in advance than to compromise your stay in the USA. Remember to check the expiry date of your passport, because if it expires before the two-year period is up, your ESTA authorization will have the same validity. You may want to apply for a new passport to get the most out of ESTA, especially if you’re planning more than one trip to the USA in the next few years.
Documents to be presented at boarding
The ESTA is an electronic travel authorization, i.e. it is electronically linked to your biometric or electronic passport number. So you don’t need toprint out your ESTA Francedocument for your trip to the USA.
However, you must present your passport. Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay. Of course, you must also present your ticket, whether it’s a plane ticket or a cruise.
If you haven’t applied for an ESTA, or if it hasn’t been obtained by the time you check in at the airport, the airline won’t be able to check you in. The check-in desk will find that the computer system is blocked, and they won’t be able to issue you a boarding pass for your trip.
