Are you dreaming of climbing into the Empire State Building and soaring on Miami Beach beaches? This magical holiday is possible provided that you know the rules and regulations to be followed for all travel to the United States. French travelers are exempt from visas but must still comply with certain rules in order to board an aircraft for America. Here's all you need to know.

 

The passport you need

 

You must present a valid biometric or electronic passport. Optical reading passports are not valid but, good news, they are exchangeable free of charge against a biometric passport.

 

As for the validity of the passport, no specific instructions.

If your passport expires 6 months after the return date, you may still fly for the United States, unlike some countries that impose a valid 6 month period after the return date.

 

Maximum length of stay

 

For all travel to the United States, the maximum stay is 90 days.

And the stay cannot be extended on site… So it is impossible to take just one easy trip for the United States, a round-trip ticket is mandatory.

 

The ESTA authorization: the compulsory sesame

 

It is not enough to have a biometric passport to travel to the United States, and you must also have an ESTA authorization no later than 72 h before your flight.

Without this precious sesame, registration will simply be refused to the airport. And you won't be able to change it, even if you begged the hostess or make your most beautiful smile…

 

ESTA is a mandatory form to be completed online by any French national in anticipation of its travel to the United States and this formality has been mandatory since January 12, 2009.

 

It is an entry authorization to the United States which concerns all French travelers or nationals of a country which is part of the visa waiver program (information available on ESTA in French)

 

The ESTA form replaces the "green sheet" provided on the airplane and that it was necessary to present to customs upon arrival in the United States. However, thanks to the ESTA form, this request is now before the trip and is valid for two years.

 

How do I get its ESTA?

 

The application for ESTA authorization is made online on the site: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

 

It is up to the traveler himself to make this request online and, no worries, it is relatively simple.

 

The information requested on the Esta online form includes names and surnames, passport number, country of residence, dates of travel, place of residence… but you must also answer a whole series of questions that allow the US authorities to judge whether you are a dangerous or potentially criminal person.

You will be asked to answer each question by yes or by name.

 

If you are a person without reproach, you normally have to answer no to all questions… In this case the ESTA will automatically be granted after payment.

 

You can print your ESTA authorization but this is not necessary because your ESTA status is normally sent directly to US authorities and customs.

 

Airport security checks

 

Since 2014, the US authorities have strengthened security measures for flights to the United States. Passengers are asked to load mobile phones, laptops and shelves before passing security checks at the airport.


In fact, inspection personnel may ask passengers to turn on their devices to check the state of charge. If the aircraft are completely unloaded, they will be confiscated. Indeed, the US authorities fear that these devices will be diverted from their original use to be transformed into explosive.

 

If you want to board with your unloaded aircraft, boarding will be denied.

 

In case of unloaded equipment, it is better to make it go in hold and not keep it in its cabin baggage.