The ESTA electronic travel authorization, obtained via an online application, enables millions of travelers to visit the USA every year, without having to apply for an American visa at the US embassy. But no matter how quick and convenient this authorization request may be, is ESTA suitable for all types of stay in the USA?
What type of stay is ESTA suitable for?
Summary :
ESTA authorization is part of the Visa Waiver Program ( VWP ) set up by the American authorities. Thanks to this program, nationals of the countries concerned are exempt from applying for a USA visa, but only if the type of travel meets the conditions required by the American government.
The nature of your stay in the USA, in line with ESTA requirements
First of all, the stay must be a tourist trip, a business trip or a transit trip.
So you’re entitled to visit the United States and its magnificent natural sites like Yellowstone Park, the Grand Canyon or the Great Lakes region like Michigan. You can even visit several places on a tailor-made road trip, from Florida to the Great Plains of the American West. There are no restrictions in place to limit your movements during your trip to the USA and get in the way of your American dream.
The notion of business travel means that you can attend conferences and symposia, organize and participate in business meetings or sign contracts during your trip to the USA. However, you are not allowed to have a salaried job, study or even do an internship during your stay in the USA.
For the American authorities, transiting the U.S. territory is equivalent to a short-term stay. A stopover is therefore subject to obtaining an ESTA.
ESTA travel authorization for temporary stays
The second condition for traveling to the USA with ESTA is the length of stay. The ESTA is reserved for a temporary stay of 90 days maximum. So don’t confuse duration of validity with duration of stay. The ESTA is valid for 2 years, provided the validity of the passport does not prevent this. During these two years, the traveler can stay in the USA as many times as he or she wishes.
Staying in the U.S. for more than 90 consecutive days exposes you to problems when leaving the country. Customs officials, realizing that you have not complied with the rules, may blacklist your passport and bar you from entering the U.S. permanently. The USA is serious about its national security, and it is obviously inadvisable to try to stay longer than authorized. There’s no point in trying to extend your travel authorization once you’re in the country, as this is impossible. You must leave the country within the allotted time to avoid trouble with the American immigration authorities.
Entering the U.S.
Another important condition is that you only need to apply for ESTA if you are entering the U.S. by air or sea. In addition, the travel company must be recognized by the U.S. government. To enter by land for a short-term stay, you need to fill out a form at the border crossing (I-94W).
What if the ESTA is not suitable for your planned stay in the USA?
If the above conditions don’t suit your plans to travel to the United States, you need to apply for a visa. This means contacting your local U.S. embassy or consulate. This may be the American embassy in your country of origin or in your country of residence.
There are USA visas to cover virtually every type of trip to the USA. Whether it’s for a long stay, seasonal work, study, etc., the consular authorities will be able to help you find the right visa for your situation.
We would like to point out that the ESTA electronic travel authorization is not open to everyone, and that the type of stay in the USA is not the only factor to be taken into account. The authorization is intended only for foreign nationals who are visa-exempt, i.e. whose country of citizenship is a member of the Visa Waiver Program. Nor does the traveler’s nationality imply that he or she will systematically obtain ESTA authorization. Travelers are asked to fill in a form with their personal details and passport data, and to prove that they are not a danger to American security by completing a questionnaire. The ESTA form determines which of the exempted travelers is entitled to travel to the USA with ESTA.