Would you like to live the American dream during a short stay in the USA? It’s true that the United States of America has a lot to offer, from the vastness and beauty of its national parks to its impressive cities such as New York and San Francisco. To travel to the USA, foreign nationals must hold several travel documents, including a travel authorization in the form of an American visa or an electronic travel authorization.

In this article, you’ll find out if you’re eligible for ESTA authorization and how to complete this vital administrative procedure for your trip to the USA.

Can I get ESTA?

Not all citizens of the world can obtain ESTA authorization. ESTA authorization is reserved for nationals who are exempt from US visa requirements, thanks to the Visa Waiver Program, and who hold an electronic or biometric passport. The visa waiver applies to travelers from the 41 VWP member countries listed below:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Poland, Croatia, United Kingdom and Israel.

French nationals without dual nationality are therefore eligible for ESTA, provided they hold a valid passport.

Nationality is not the only determining factor. The stay in the USA must also meet the conditions required by the American authorities in terms of its nature (transit, tourist stay or business trip), its mode (entry into the USA by air or sea) and its duration (maximum stay of 90 days in the USA).

ESTA travel authorization application

You don’t need to apply for ESTA if you don’t meet all the eligibility criteria. ESTA applications are processed automatically, and electronic systems are programmed according to eligibility requirements. If you do, you’ll need a U.S. visa.

Unlike visa applications, ESTA applications do not require a visit to the US embassy. All you have to do is apply online. To do this, you need to fill in an ESTA form. This online form is only available on the official U.S. government website. However, you can request assistance from a private site by filling in the simplified form provided.

The form to be completed includes questions about the traveler’s identity, passport, travel to the USA, state of health, criminal record, etc. To obtain a travel authorization, you must make sure that the information provided is the same as on the valid passport. Pay particular attention to the passport number, expiry date, surname if you are a married woman (maiden or married name), and so on. U.S. authorities also seek to determine whether your profile represents a threat to U.S. homeland security.

How can I get an answer to an ESTA request?

Once you’ve completed the application form, answered the eligibility questions and paid the ESTA fee, you’ll need to wait no more than 3 days. The government is committed to responding to all requests within 72 hours. Sometimes the response is immediate.

To find out what the U.S. government’s response is, go to the official website and enter your passport number, date of birth and application number. If you don’t have an application number, you can also log in to your application file. In this case, you’ll need to provide your passport number, country of citizenship, date of issue, expiry date and date of birth.

If your ESTA application is pending, you still have some waiting to do. If it is granted, you can travel to the United States. Your authorization is valid for two years, unless your passport is invalid or you obtain a new one. If the ESTA is refused, you can try a new application (if you think you’ve made a mistake on the form), or apply for a USA visa at the American consulate or the consular services of the American embassy if you don’t qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. Please note that obtaining a visa is more specific (type of visa depending on the nature of the trip and length of stay: tourist visa, work visa, student visa, transit visa, green card, etc.), time-consuming (several weeks’ wait for an appointment at the embassy), complicated (bringing supporting documents in addition to the visa application form) and expensive (minimum $185).