What are the official documents to enter the United States?

Before setting off to discover the various districts of New York, to set out to conquer the Californian coast, to enjoy the shows in Las Vegas or to go sunbathing in Miami, it is advisable to take stock of the documents that allow you to enter American territory. Indeed, the formalities are evolving and there is no question of being surprised at the last minute. So, what are the procedures to follow? Passport, plan how long it will take to obtain the ESTA . Here's an update on the conditions that allow you to take off serenely towards this grandiose and fascinating destination

ESTA, what's that all about?

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which is the French translation for the word ESTA, allows nationals of a number of countries to travel to the United States more easily than ever before. This system was introduced to replace the traditional visa application. The interest for travellers is that the procedures are done online, in a very simple way, and that the deadlines are extremely short. For those who wonder why the ESTA was set up, the US government actually wants, through this formality, to address public safety concerns by analysing the information submitted by the applicant and determining whether or not he or she is able to travel on US soil. Since January 12, 2009, French travellers have been required to apply for ESTA to travel to the USA, with France on the list of member countries, along with a very large number of other European countries. The ESTA is valid for two years or until the expiry of the passport if its validity is less than two years

It is useful to recall the various conditions that must be met in order to benefit from the ESTA system. First of all, and as mentioned above, one must be a national of one of the member countries of the mechanism. The stay on American soil must not exceed 90 days and the system also covers transits and stopovers. Next, the traveller must be in possession of a biometric or electronic passport. Finally, the travel authorization must be validated once the form has been submitted on one of the sites that allow online application

It is important to note that the travel permit is only valid for a tourist stay or to visit a relative. It does not allow you to work or even settle permanently in the United States. For all other reasons, it is advisable to find out about the different types of visas.

Processing times for ESTA applications

First of all, do not wait until the last moment to apply for ESTA. It is even advisable to do it a few weeks or even a few months in advance, in order to face possible problems. The digital operation of this device makes the management of requests very simple, therefore the processing time is a maximum of 72 hours. No need to be surprised if you receive the confirmation only a few hours after the request, as this is often what happens in reality, to the great satisfaction of future travellers. The confirmation is sent by email, and it should be noted that following this, there are no further steps to be taken. The travel authorisation is attached to the passport electronically. At the airport, the staff only has to scan the passport to confirm the travel authorization

Don't forget the passport!

There is no point in applying for ESTA if you do not have a valid passport in your name. Since the travel authorization is electronically attached to the passport, it is the travel authorization that must be presented to the airport staff on the day of departure. So the first thing to do before going online and applying for ESTA is to make sure you have a passport that has not expired. If you are renewing a passport or applying for a passport for the first time, you must go to the town hall or the prefecture of your municipality to apply for it. The time required to obtain the certificate varies from 1 to 3 months. All the more reason to be vigilant and to start early. A trip to the United States is coming up and we don't want to miss it.