Older passport
Without an electronic chip or biometric reading, your passport isn't eligible for ESTA.
- No embedded electronic chip.
- ESTA not available.
- Visa required, whatever the purpose.
- Appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Going to the USA: the simple, fully legal way
Dreaming of a trip to the United States? Before you pack your bags, a few formalities are essential. Here, step by step, is the legal process to plan your trip with confidence.
The essentials, in a nutshell
For a trip to the United States, two things matter most: your passport and the purpose of your trip. A tourist or business stay of up to 90 days usually falls under ESTA. For study, work, immigration, or a longer stay, you'll need a visa.
In every case, your passport must stay valid throughout your stay. We recommend a safety margin of at least six months beyond your planned return date.
Step 1
Before you book your flight
A few checks are in order before you even buy your ticket.
- Check your passport. It must stay valid for your entire stay. For the Visa Waiver Program, an electronic or biometric passport is required.
- Pin down the purpose and length of your trip. Tourism, business, study, work: each case calls for a specific authorization.
- Choose the right authorization. A tourist or business stay of up to 90 days usually falls under ESTA; a longer or different type of stay requires a visa.
- Check your eligibility. Certain history (criminal records, prior visa denials, immigration violations) can disqualify you from ESTA and require a visa.
Tip: start the process several weeks ahead. A last-minute denial can derail your whole trip.
Step 2
Passport: older model or new generation
Your passport type determines which path you follow.
New-generation (biometric) passport
With its embedded chip, it opens the Visa Waiver Program to you.
- Electronic chip and optical reading.
- ESTA available for stays of up to 90 days.
- Application made entirely online.
- Visa still required for study, work, or a long stay.
Step 3
Visa vs. ESTA
Two authorizations that are easy to confuse, yet serve different travelers.
ESTA
An electronic authorization, not a visa, for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries (including France).
- Stay of up to 90 days.
- Tourism, business, or transit.
- Online application, generally valid for two years.
- Current cost: $40.27.
Visa
Issued by a U.S. consulate or embassy after you file an application and, in most cases, attend an interview.
- Study, work, immigration.
- Stays longer than 90 days.
- Travelers not eligible for the waiver.
- Application fee (MRV) by category.
Bottom line: ESTA for a short tourist or business trip with a biometric passport; a visa for everything else.
Step 4
Visa fee cards (MRV fees)
Current nonimmigrant visa application fees, provided for guidance only.
- (B) Visitors: business, tourism, medical care
- (C) U.S. transit
- (D) Crew members
- (F) Academic students
- (M) Vocational students
- (I) Media and journalists
- (J) Exchange visitors
- (TD/TN) USMCA professionals
- (T) Human-trafficking victims
- (U) Victims of criminal activity
- (H) Temporary workers or trainees
- (L) Intracompany transferees
- (O) Individuals with extraordinary ability
- (P) Athletes, artists, and entertainers
- (Q) International cultural exchange
- (R) Religious workers
- (E-1) Treaty traders
- (E-2) Treaty investors
- (E-3) Australian specialty workers
- (K) Fiancé(e) or spouse of a U.S. citizen
These amounts change over time and should always be verified on the official U.S. Department of State website before you apply. Additional fees may apply depending on your nationality and visa category.
Step 5
Online procedures
All official steps are completed directly on U.S. government websites, with no paid middleman.
On video
The ESTA application explained by USCBP
Official U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) video explaining the ESTA application.