ESTA

Going to the US embassy for a visa

Are you planning to move to the United States? If so, you’ll need to go to the American embassy in Paris – and with good reason: you’ll need an American visa to do so! In this article, our experts explain how to make this appointment.

If, on the other hand, you wish to visit the USA for less than 90 days, you will need to obtain an ESTA. We’ll explain what this travel authorization consists of in a second section.

The appointment at the US embassy

To stay in the USA for more than 90 days, you will need a visa. To obtain an American visa, contact the American embassy in your country. In France, the U.S. embassy is located in Paris. You can also contact one of the 6 consulates in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Strasbourg or Toulouse. These are embassy branches, run by a consul. These two bodies are a representation of the American government in France. The role of the embassy is to manage visa applications for French nationals wishing to visit the United States. There are two main types of visa: non-immigrant visas issued for temporary stays, and immigrant visas for individuals wishing to become permanent residents in Uncle Sam’s country (e.g. the green card).

Here are some examples of visas:

In order to obtain a visa to visit the USA, an appointment at the US embassy is mandatory. The purpose of this appointment is to assess your motivation to travel to the USA. Appointments at the embassy to obtain a visa are usually within 4 to 5 days. You need to be prepared before going there, as the American authorities are very vigilant, so visas are only issued to people who present no risk. Please be at the embassy 15 to 30 minutes before your appointment time.

It then proceeds as follows:

Step 1: On entering the embassy, a security officer will ask you about your identity and the time of your appointment. He will then take you through a security scanner, and you will be subjected to a search just like at an airport (liquids are prohibited at ). It’s important to understand that at the American embassy, you are no longer in France, but on American soil .

Step 2: Once you are in the USA, a representative will give you a number. You’ll have to wait until your number appears on a screen. When your turn arrives, you are again subjected to a security check, this time in the form of fingerprinting.

Step 3: You are taken to an interview room, where you are asked about your motivations for going to the United States . Questions typically include:

At the end of the interview, you’ll know immediately whether your visa application has been accepted or rejected. If your application is accepted, U.S. embassy officials will keep your passport and return it to you, stamped with the visa you have obtained. Your passport may be returned to you after a week, so be sure to bring a second piece of identification if you’re traveling to the U.S. embassy by plane, for example.

Are you planning a vacation in New York, Miami or Florida? Are you visiting the USA on business or in transit? You can enter the USA without a visa! How? Thanks to ESTA!

ESTA: explanations

Unlike a visa, you don’t have to go to the U.S. embassy for ESTA. ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) was created as part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP ). This program is designed to facilitate travel between 38 “high-security” countries and the United States. It applies to nationals of the following countries:

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, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Taiwan.

Watch out! Please answer the questions on the form with attention and concentration. A small careless error is not impossible, but can cost you your ESTA. If you wish to avoid making mistakes, you can turn to our partner. They can help you fill in the ESTA form at . If an error is found, our expert customer service team can correct it, before submitting the form to the American authorities.To obtain an ESTA, you have the option of going directly to the American government website . The ESTA application form is available at . This travel authorization is required if you wish to transit, travel for tourism or business for up to 90 days in the USA. Beyond 90 days, however, you will need to apply for a visa from the US embassy.