There are many ways to travel to the USA, depending on your profile and your desires. Travelers often hesitate between the visa orESTA for travel to the USA. There may seem to be a fine line between these two documents, so it’s essential to distinguish between them before making a decision. This will enable you to apply for the right document for your future stay in the USA.
When to apply for a visa visa rather than an ESTA ?
With the arrival of the ESTA document in 2009, the visa is no longer required in certain situations. However, a visa is still a necessary document for some trips. We’ll explain everything in this section.
The visa to go to the United States
The U.S. visa is a travel authorization placed in the traveler’s passport, allowing him or her to visit the United States.
Who can apply?
For travel to the USA, there are certain situations in which you cannot obtain an ESTA authorization authorization and require a visaThis is the case for :
- tourist travel for more than 90 days;
- business stay for an investment on American soil, for example;
- studies at an American university;
- exchange program;
- or temporary employment.
As you can see, each situation requires a specific visa for entry into the United States.
How do I apply for a US visa?
First of all, it’s essential to determine what type of non-immigrant visa you need to enter the USA. Make sure you have a valid passport. Once you’ve made your decision, you’ll need to fill out a form – the DS-160 – and attach recent passport photos. You’ll also be asked to provide a few supporting documents. After this step, you must pay the application fee to validate your request. The American embassy will get back to you to schedule an interview. This interview is decisive in the acquisition of your USA visa, so make sure you’re well prepared.
When to apply for ESTA authorization authorization rather than a visa ?
It’s important to know that applying for a visa isn’t the easiest way to travel to the USA legally. Since 2009, many foreign travelers have been able to apply for ESTA authorization. This authorization was introduced to reinforce security measures and make things easier for visitors. Like the visa, l’ESTA authorization is much faster and easier to obtain. Here’s how it works.
ESTA USA for visiting the United States
ESTA, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an electronic travel authorization allowing travelers to visit the United States. But be careful ESTA and the visa are not the same documents and do not authorize the same actions on American soil. What’s more, travelers must meet the requirements of the U.S. authorities before they can expect to receive this authorization.
Pre-application requirements
L’ESTA does not, like the visato work or study in the USA. With ESTA, you are only authorized to travel to the USA. Here are the various eligibility criteria for the program:
- be a citizen of one of the countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program (including France);
- you arrive by air or sea;
- your stay is for tourism or transit;
- this stay in the USA lasts a maximum of 90 days;
- you have a biometric or electronic passport;
- your passport is valid.
If one of these conditions does not apply to you, you must apply for a visa at the US embassy.
How do I obtain an ESTA document?
To obtainESTAauthorization, the procedure is not the same as for a visa. This means you don’t have to go anywhere to request authorization, but simply have access to a computer with an Internet connection.
The ESTA is obtained by filling in an online form. Truthful information must be provided to the U.S. government. To access this ESTA form, you have the choice of ordering from the official U.S. government website, or applying via a private website, for greater assistance. This method saves you time, thanks to the simplified form, and lets a team handle your application online. Whether you order your ESTA from the government site or a private platform, you’ll need to bring your credit card and pay the amount requested by the site.
One important thing to know is that the ESTA serves as a travel pass. In other words, once you’ve acquired it, you’re authorized to board the plane. However, the customs officer has the power to refuse you entry to the country for reasons of internal security. You should also know that the document is valid for two years, provided you still have the same passport number.
Don’t hesitate between the visa and ESTA and take the necessary steps to make your stay in the United States of America a success.
