To enter the U.S., all foreign nationals must have a valid passport, either electronic or biometric. French nationals, as visa-exempt travelers, are also required to have ESTA authorization before boarding. Aware of this requirement, you applied online with your valid passport. However, your authorization request is pending. This ESTA status is nothing to worry about, and we’ll explain why.

What does pending status mean?

Although the ESTA form is processed electronically, this does not necessarily mean that you will receive an immediate response. The ESTA application form is not processed until the ESTA fee has been paid. The American authorities undertake to give you an answer within 72 hours. In other words, an ESTA on hold is simply an application awaiting processing.

The fear surrounding a pending ESTA is probably due to the fact that some travelers get a definitive answer immediately after filling in the online form. Applications can be processed immediately, in fact. How long it takes will depend on the number of files to be processed and the application itself. It is possible that a request will require further examination in the event of an error in the form or a problematic response.

A pending ESTA authorization is not synonymous with a refusal or an approval. You must be patient to receive the answer from the American authorities. This pending status can last up to 3 days before you receive the final status of your application for travel to the United States of America.

The different ESTA statuses

A pending ESTA requires you to check your application file. An application number is issued to you when your order is sent. Using this number and your passport number, you can find out the outcome of your ESTA application. If you don’t have an ESTA application number, simply fill in your passport details as requested on the official US government website (passport number, date of issue, expiry date, etc.). If you have opted for a private site rather than the official one, your ESTA status will be communicated to you by e-mail.

Once you’ve logged on to the government site, three statuses are likely to appear:

  • ESTA refused, you cannot travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program ;
  • ESTA granted, you can make multiple entries into the United States during the validity of the ESTA (2 years, passport validity permitting);
  • ESTA pending, you will receive a reply within 72 hours of submitting your application.

What you need to know if you are granted ESTA

We would like to clarify a few points about the two final statuses. Obtaining a travel authorization does not exempt you from complying with the requirements of the Visa Waiver Program regarding the nature and duration of your stay in the USA. The ESTA only applies to entry into the USA by air or sea for transit, tourism or business. Moreover, the authorized length of stay is 90 days maximum. It is not possible to extend an ESTA, either from abroad or once on American soil. If you wish to travel to the USA for a longer period, or to study, work, etc., you need to apply for a USA visa at the consular services.

It is also the traveler’s responsibility to ensure that his or her ESTA authorization is still valid before each departure for the USA. An ESTA can lose its validity if it expires, but also if you obtain a new passport or change your situation. A new passport means a new application, as the ESTA is electronically linked to the passport (passport number and microchip). A new French passport is a biometric passport. A change in circumstances leading to a yes answer to one of the ESTA form’s closed questions also entails a moral obligation to notify. If you need to renew or reapply, simply follow the same procedure as for your first application.

What to know if your ESTA is refused

If your ESTA application is rejected, you can reapply if you think you’ve made a mistake on the ESTA form. If you are not eligible, you will need a US visa to travel to the USA. We remind you that only nationals of VWP signatory countries are entitled to apply for an electronic travel authorization. What’s more, they must not have a problematic dual nationality: Syrian, Iraqi, Sudanese or Iranian.

Applying for a visa involves going to the American embassy. It’s not enough to fill in a form; you must present the visa application form, a passport photo, the necessary supporting documents and proof of payment of the visa fee to a consular officer in order to obtain a visa. The U.S. government offers a visa for every type of stay, so costs and time vary. There are two types of visa: the non-immigrant visa for a temporary stay, and the immigrant visa, known as a green card or permanent resident permit, for expatriation to the United States.