Organizing a trip to the USA can sometimes be complex. Traveling to the United States requires you to gather documents proving your identity and validating your trip.
In this article, we detail all the documents you need to set foot on American soil.
Why do I need travel documents to visit the United States of America?
Foreign nationals, particularly those from the European Union, do not travel to the United States in the same way as they do to the Schengen area. Indeed, if you’re used to traveling to Europe, you’ll know that an identity card is the only piece of identification required for this type of trip. However, for travel to the USA, it’s a different story.
It’s worth noting that the American government is very strict when it comes to tourists visiting the country. This mistrust has grown over time, especially after the September 11th attacks. This is why their aim is to tighten security measures and only let in tourists who pose no threat to the country’s internal security.
What documents do I need to travel to the United States?
Here are the main documents you’ll need to travel to the United States.
Biometric or electronic passports
An electronic or biometric passport is the key to a successful trip. In fact, an identity card will not suffice for a stay in the United States. What’s more, if you don’t have a passport, you can’t get a travel authorization, which is the second document you need. Your passport must of course be valid, so check its expiry date.
If you don’t have a passport, we advise you to apply at your local town hall. Passport applications require passport photos and fingerprints. The procedure can take more than a month, so make your request well in advance.
Travel authorization
Once you have a valid passport, you can apply for a travel authorization. The American authorities must approve your entry into the country before your departure. You can choose between two types of authorization: the visa and the ESTA authorization. Please note that a simple transit also requires one of these authorizations.
U.S. visa
To apply for a visa, you need to go to the American embassy. Beforehand, you need to fill in an online form and make an appointment with a consular officer. It is this interview at the US embassy that will determine your departure to the United States.
Visa applications can take several months to process, and are expensive, but the visa is best suited to long-stay travel (stays exceeding 90 consecutive days) or to travel for reasons not covered by ESTA. For a tourist stay, you’ll need to apply for a B2 visa.
The embassy or consulate will specify which travel documents you need to present to enter the United States. Depending on the nature of your trip, you may be asked to provide additional supporting documents.
ESTA USA authorization
ESTA authorization is only available to nationals of countries that are members of the U.S. government’s Visa Waiver Program. You can find the list of countries covered by the scheme on the government website. France is a beneficiary country, so French nationals can apply for this travel authorization. There are several eligibility criteria to be taken into account. In addition to participation in the Visa Waiver Program and possession of a valid passport, travelers must be visiting the USA for a temporary stay (90 days maximum), either for business or pleasure.
To obtain an ESTA, you need to apply online. There’s no need to go to the U.S. embassy to apply for an ESTA. The form to fill in can be found on the official U.S. government website. The document is issued within 72 hours (sometimes less, thanks to electronic systems). It costs 21 US dollars and is valid for two years, passport permitting.
You don’t need to physically bring your ESTA authorization with you before your trip to the USA: as the authorization is electronic, it is linked to your passport number. Be sure to reapply if you have a new passport.
An exit ticket
For all temporary stays, a proof of exit from the U.S. territory will be requested by the immigration officer when you pass through customs. A round-trip airline ticket or an onward ticket will prove to the agent that you do not intend to stay longer than authorized in the United States.
