Traveling to the United States is the assurance of an extraordinary experience. Whether you are more attracted by a roadtrip or rather by a trip organized by a travel agent, visiting the United States will not leave you indifferent. Since January 2009, a new formality for entering the United States was introduced with the implementation of the Visa Waiver Program. Indeed, the 40 countries concerned by this system benefit from a simplified procedure: a visa is not required for a business trip, tourism or transit of less than 90 days. However, for security reasons and for control purposes, obtaining the ESTA or Electronic System of Travel Authorization is required before departure. This is an ESTA travel authorization document ESTA to be filled out online via specialized sites or on the U.S. government website. The process is simple, you just have to fill in the ESTA form available on these sites, pay the processing and application fees, and then wait a maximum of 72 hours to receive the answer from the American authorities. Find out more about it now.
Recipients of the ESTA application for travel to the United States
In the past, possession of a visa was always a requirement for travel to the United States. However, since 2009, the U.S. government has implemented a visa waiver program for nationals of thirty-eight countries, provided they meet certain criteria.
Here is the list of countries concerned by the VWP: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Taiwan.
Thus, to be admitted, you must have a valid passport (electronic or biometric) and a business, leisure, tourism or transit trip project of 90 days maximum. Instead of applying for a U.S. visa, a long, complex and costly procedure, these citizens, regardless of their age, must obtain ESTA travel authorization online. The choice between a visa and ESTA is based on your nationality, but also on the reason for your trip.
This is easier, faster and less expensive. It should be noted that the ESTA document allows you to go to the USA for a maximum of 90 days. It is valid for multiple entries, for 2 years or until the biometric or electronic passport expires. Even if your ESTA is lost, the official DHS online platform allows you to recover it. Outside of these circumstances or in the event that the ESTA is denied, obtaining a USA visa is the only alternative left if the traveler plans to travel to the USA. It should be noted that the ESTA only allows you to board freely to the United States, only the agents decide your fate upon your arrival on American soil.
Procedure to follow to obtain the ESTA USA
The ESTA travel document is obtained through a relatively simple and quick online application. This is an online form that you fill out with your passport. You will be asked to fill in your personal information, passport data and the conditions of your trip to the USA. You must also submit to a series of questions that will allow U.S. authorities to determine whether you are a risk to the country’s internal security.
Your order is considered validated when the payment is accepted. An answer will be given immediately. This may be an approved authorization, a denial or a pending ESTA response. In case of a pending application, the answer will be available on the official website within 72 hours.
To fill out the ESTA form, you are given the option of either using the official U.S. government website or an intermediary offering to make the ESTA request on your behalf. Either of these options will issue you an official ESTA within 72 hours.