To travel to the USA, a traveler can choose between using a U.S. visa or an ESTA authorization. The latter is an alternative to the USA visa, effective since 2009. As a result, the ESTA document has become mandatory for travel to the USA. Exempted individuals are citizens of the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Taiwan.
Membership of the Visa Waiver Program is therefore the first criterion to be taken into account before applying for ESTA travel authorization online. But to travel to the USA with this new formality, there are other eligibility criteria. For people traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, who wish to travel to the USA for a maximum of 90 days, a valid passport is required. The passport must be biometric or electronic.
How to apply: the first ESTA authorization to travel to the United States
To obtain ESTA travel authorization and travel to the USA, travelers must apply online using an ESTA form. This involves finding a specialized site or placing the order on the U.S. government website. To apply, travelers must provide clear and precise personal information on their identity, reasons for travel, previous entries on American soil, state of health, etc. This information will remain confidential and will be used only for the purposes for which it was provided. This information will remain confidential and will be used by the authorities to establish the applicant’s profile. Only after this analysis will the applicant be granted an ESTA document to stay in the USA.
To apply and realize your desire to travel to the USA, you can use an intermediary or the official US government website. The process is divided into several stages, and differs from the assistance offered by private sites. Of course, using the U.S. government site is more economical, since there’s no assistance to charge. Nevertheless, if you feel the need for assistance to increase your chances of acceptance, order your document from a specialized site that will take care of the process on your behalf.
Pay the tax and validate the online form
Since 2010, the American authorities have been charging an ESTA fee. This fee is required for each ESTA authorization request. Despite this, the ESTA procedure remains affordable compared to the American visa, with a price starting at $14, depending on the site you choose for your application.
This sum is payable on the site itself by credit card, and it is this payment that will validate your solicitation.
Deadlines for the ESTA procedure
The ESTA procedure is easy to carry out. Especially as there are now several French-language sites offering the application form. However, you should be aware that there are deadlines for this formality. It must be made at least 72 hours before the departure of your stay in the United States. While ESTA applications are usually answered within a minute of being submitted, they may be pending, and you may have to wait up to three days for a definitive response.
In addition, once authorization has been granted, it will be valid for a period of two years from the date of issue. After this validation period, travelers must renew their authorization before making any further trips to the United States.
Don’t be surprised if your new ESTA application is rejected. In fact, if certain conditions have changed and evolved, you may no longer be eligible. This situation is rare, but if it happens to you, you can always apply for a visa at the American embassy. The U.S. embassy will help you choose the best visa for your stay in the USA.
