Organizing a trip to the USA can sometimes be complex. Indeed, traveling to the United States requires collecting 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 does a trip to the United States of America require travel documents?
Foreign nationals, especially those from the European Union, do not travel to the United States as they travel to the Schengen area. Indeed, if you are used to going to Europe, you know that the identity card is the only piece of identification necessary for this type of trip. However, to go to the USA, it is not the same thing.
You should know that the US government is very strict vis-à-vis tourists who go to US territory. This mistrust has grown over time, especially after the September 11 attacks. That is why their goal is to strengthen security measures and only let in tourists who do not pose a danger to the internal security of the country.
What document to go to the United States?
Here are the main documents you’ll need to travel to the United States.
The biometric or electronic passport
The success of your trip depends above all on the possession of an electronic or biometric passport. Indeed, an identity card will not suffice for a stay in the United States. Also, if you do not have a passport, you cannot receive a travel authorization, which is the second document to have. The passport must of course be valid, so check its expiry date.
If you do not have a passport, it is advisable to apply to your town hall. The passport application requires you to provide passport photos and your fingerprints. The duration of the procedure can be more than a month, so make your request in advance.
A 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 authorisations.
U.S. visa
To apply for a visa, you must go to the American embassy. Upstream, an online form must be completed and then an appointment made with a consular officer. It is this interview at the US Embassy that will be decisive for your departure to the United States.
The visa application sometimes requires several months of waiting and is expensive, but the visa is more suitable for a long stay (stay exceeding 90 consecutive days) or for a reason for travel not covered by ESTA. For tourist visits, you’ll need to apply for a B2 visa.
The travel documents to be presented to enter the United States will be specified to you by the embassy or consulate. Depending on the nature of your trip, you may be asked for additional supporting documents.
ESTA USA authorization
The ESTA authorization is only for nationals of member countries of the visa waiver program offered by the US government. You can find the list of countries concerned by the device on the government website. France is a beneficiary country, so French nationals can apply for this travel authorization. Note that several eligibility criteria must 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 must apply online. There is therefore no need to go to the United States Embassy to apply for 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 US$21 and is valid for two years, passport permitting.
You do not need to physically bring your ESTA authorization before your trip to the USA: the authorization being electronic, it is linked to your passport number. Be careful to make a new application if you have a new passport.
A ticket to leave the territory
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 return plane ticket or an onward ticket will prove to the agent that you do not intend to stay longer than authorized in the United States.