To be eligible for ESTA, the applicant’s country of origin must be part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. There are currently 38 countries eligible for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). To travel to the USA, nationals of these countries have the privilege of applying for ESTA rather than a visa. Before applying, however, they must meet a number of conditions. These include a maximum stay of 90 days. Unlike a visa, the ESTA is only valid for short-term travel to the USA. The second condition is the nature of your trip. It must be for tourism or business.
Countries eligible for ESTA thanks to the Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program comprises 41 member countries. These include mainly EU countries, but also Australia, Japan and Singapore. Israel is the latest country to join the VWP. As such, Israeli citizens can travel to the USA without requiring a visa, provided they meet all ESTA eligibility requirements.
However, Canada is not a signatory to the Visa Waiver Program. This does not mean, however, that Canadian citizens are required to apply for a visa to travel to the USA. While Europe’s Schengen area allows the free movement of people and goods, Canada benefits from NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). This agreement promotes economic exchanges between Mexico, the United States and Canada. Canadian nationals also enjoy freedom of movement for tourism purposes. However, if Canadian citizens wish to study or work in the United States, a visa is required.
Visa waiver requirements
ESTA authorization is only required for tourist, transit or business travel. If the traveler plans to work in the U.S. or take up an internship, a visa must be applied for at the U.S. embassy or consulate.
In addition, to obtain ESTA, your stay in the United States must not exceed 90 days.
Finally, you should know that ESTA only applies to entry to the U.S. by air or sea.
The advantage of ESTA over a visa
Obtaining ESTA authorization is much less complicated than applying for a U.S. visa. The ESTA authorization can only be obtained online, so there’s no need to go to the U.S. embassy as is the case for a visa. On the other hand, the visa application requires you to provide certain supporting documents, unlike ESTA, which simply requires you to fill in an online form with a valid biometric or electronic passport.
Finally, the cost of the ESTA document is lower than that of the USA visa. The price of a temporary residence permit is usually just a few dozen dollars, compared with a minimum of $185 for a tourist visa, or even more if it’s another visa.
Filling out the ESTA form from France
As the ESTA is an electronic document, French nationals can complete the application form online at any time. To do so, they must visit the official U.S. government website or a specialized private site, and answer all the questions asked on the form.
Applicants are advised to answer each question accurately, even if some of them are quite personal. This will make it easier for the American authorities to identify you, and will make obtaining your ESTA authorization more feasible.
The main information you’ll need to provide is your identity, the reasons for your trip and your previous entries into the United States. Once you’ve filled in the form, we strongly advise you to check the information provided before registering your application. Indeed, if the slightest error is made when filling in the form, the ESTA application may be rejected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. You will then have to submit a new application, and pay a new ESTA fee at the same time.
If your ESTA form has been approved, you will be free to travel to the USA for two years. Please note, however, that the validity of your authorization to stay in the USA may be shortened if your electronic or biometric passport expires during this period. If this is the case, you will need to renew your ESTA by following the same procedure as for your first online application.
