Visas for the United States of America
Visa Travel International
Important information for United States of America
KEY RECENT INFORMATION
June 2025
As of June 9, 2025, the United States will bar nationals from 12 countries and impose restrictions on seven other states, Donald Trump announced, revising a ban he had implemented during his first term.
The decision applies to Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to the White House.
The restrictions are threefold:
- General entry ban, with rare diplomatic exceptions or humanitarian cases.
- Suspension of the issuance of all types of non-immigrant and immigrant visas for citizens of these countries.
- Refusal of admission even with a valid visa issued before the decree (limited cases to be examined on a case-by-case basis).
Nationals of seven other countries are subject to visa issuance restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The restrictions are:
- Suspension or limitation of certain visa categories (including diversity, student, and work visas).
- Enhanced security checks on applicants.
- Extensive administrative investigations and significant delays in processing applications.
- Possible refusal of entry even with a valid visa, if security risks are identified.
The US government, which has a very restrictive anti-immigration policy, explains the presence of countries on this list by the absence of effective administrations to ensure the control of travelers and the tendency of nationals of certain countries to remain in the United States after the expiration of their Visas.
The United States continues to tighten its stance regarding student visa applications.
Effective immediately, all applicants for a non-immigrant F (student), M, or J visa are required to change the privacy settings of all their social media accounts to “public” to facilitate the verification necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.
F: To study in the United States (international student)
M: For professional or non-academic training
J: For cultural exchanges, internships, research, au pairs, etc.
These individuals must make their Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc. accounts accessible to U.S. authorities.
Regarding Visa applications (in particular B1/B2) and therefore making an appointment to submit the files, the first available slots (when slots are offered) are displayed for the second quarter of 2026.
However, in the event of an ESTA refusal (in particular for a trip to Cuba), a business trip with high stakes, etc., it is possible to try to request an Emergency appointment.
Visa Travel International checks availability daily in order to be able to subscribe to the Visa applications entrusted to us and will guide you in requesting an emergency appointment (document to be provided).
Information and conditions of entry into the country
Documents to be provided
General information
Citizens of the following countries, beneficiaries of the Visa Waiver Program, must obtain an ESTA (electronic visa) to travel to the United States (and/or for all islands/territories belonging to the USA such as Guam, St John, …) for a maximum stay of 90 days:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, South Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Malta, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan.
Visa Travel International supports you in your efforts to obtain this electronic visa. To this end, you will find on this page all the information and answers to questions that will be useful to you in obtaining your visa. If this is not the case, do not hesitate to get back to us so that we can give you all the information you need.
It should be noted that for all other nationalities not listed above, the traveler must request a visa from the consular service of the United States embassy.
To do this, you will find the necessary information on our website and Visa Travel International can support you in your efforts to obtain this Visa (B1 B2). Consult the Documents to be Provided tab above
Do you need a Visa for the United States of America?
Holding an ESTA or Visa before departure is mandatory to travel to the United States. No visa is issued upon arrival in the country.
Pay attention to the conditions for granting or validity of the ESTA. Indeed, if you have traveled to “at risk” countries (since 2011) and/or to Cuba (since 01/12/2021), then a Visa is required.
It should be noted that the deadlines for obtaining an appointment with the United States Embassy (in order to submit your Visa application) are very long (often more than 200 days of waiting). Visa Travel International unfortunately cannot influence this deadline.
Conditions of entry in the United States of America
To be able to enter the territory of the USA, the traveler must bring his passport with ESTA or Visa as well as a return flight ticket.
There is a Mobile Passport Control program allowing you to enter the USA (airports) more quickly by downloading on your smartphone a paid application (here) and registering in advance (Sentri). This will have the effect of saving you from filling out forms on arrival and may be useful to frequent USA travelers. To do so, you need to have an ESTA.
It should be noted that, even if the traveler is in possession of all the documents required to validate his entry into the USA, the American authorities reserve the right to refuse access to their territory without having to justify it.
Understanding the Visa for the United States of America
The ESTA is generally valid for two years for a maximum duration of 90 days per stay.
The duration of the visa varies according to the request (type of visa requested, nationality of the applicant, etc.).
Documents to be provided: Visas Business and Tourism (B1 B2 and others)
- Scan of the double page of passport data (signed, valid for 6 months after travel to the USA).
- Scan of a recent ID photo (less than 6 months old), in color, jpeg or pdf format (click here for more details)
- A Visa Travel International Information Form
- Scan of a Proof of residence in France
- For non-European traveller, scan of the “titre/carte de séjour” (residence permit)
These documents should be sent to us by email to contact@visatravel.fr
NB: Requesting an expedited/urgent appointment
Before applying to Visa Travel International to request an expedited appointment at the Embassy of the United States of America, you must ensure that you have documents proving the urgency of the trip. If it appears during your visa interview that you have misrepresented the reasons for your urgent trip, these facts will be noted in your file and could negatively influence the outcome of your visa application.
The visa fee for a regular visa appointment must be paid in advance.
Applicants who are granted an expedited appointment but are subsequently denied a visa by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will not be allowed to use this option to obtain another expedited appointment.
The following travel purposes are considered for expedited appointments:
- Medical needs
The purpose of the trip is to obtain urgent medical care or to accompany a relative or employer for urgent medical care.
Essential Documentation:
A letter from your doctor in France describing your medical condition and why you are seeking medical care in the United States.
A letter from the doctor or hospital in the United States stating that they are willing to treat your case and providing the approximate cost of treatment.
Proof of how you will pay for the cost of treatment.
- ESTA Denied
If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but have received notice that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under this program or have recently traveled to Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Syria, you may request an expedited appointment if your travel is imminent.
- Urgent Business Travel
The purpose of the trip is to complete an urgent business matter for which the need to travel could not have been anticipated in advance.
Essential Documentation:
A letter of invitation from the corresponding U.S. company attesting to the urgency of the planned visit, describing the nature of the matter, and stating that the U.S. or local company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.
Evidence of a necessary training program in the U.S. lasting three months or less, including letters from the local employer and the U.S. company providing the training. Both letters must include a detailed explanation of the training and explain why the U.S. or local company would suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.
- Students or Exchange Visitors
The purpose of the trip is to begin or resume a valid program of study in the United States within 60 days when no regular student/exchange visitor visa appointment is available. This option is limited only to students and exchange students who are within 60 days of their start date. It is also limited only to applicants who have not had their visa denied in the last six months at the U.S. Embassy.
Essential Documentation:
Original Form I-20 or DS-2019 indicating the program start date within 60 days.
Proof of paying the SEVIS fee (if applicable).
- Funeral/Death
The purpose of travel is to attend the funeral or arrange for the repatriation of the body of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child) to the United States.
Essential Documentation:
A letter from the funeral director providing contact information, details of the deceased, and the date of the funeral.
You must also provide proof that the deceased is an immediate relative.
On the day of your appointment at the Embassy, you will need to bring with you:
- Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months
- Identity photo 5cmx5cm
- Confirmation of the online form
- Confirmation of the appointment
- The payment receipt for the online application
- Return plane tickets may be requested in certain cases (proof that they plan to leave US territory)
- Proof of address
- A certificate/proof of financial resources
We will confirm that to you once we finalise the details of your appointment.
Documents to be provided: ESTA
- The copy of the passport data page.
- A selfie photo in .jpeg format (no smile, colour, clear/uniform background, head+shoulders only, no sun glasses, no mask, …)
- An information sheet to be filled-in.
These documents should be sent to us by email at contact@visatravel.fr
ESTA eligibility:
- The traveler must be in possession of a biometric or electronic passport with a validity of six months. Any holder of another type of passport will need to apply for a visa.
- Each traveler, including children, must be in possession of a passport and their own ESTA.
- ESTA must be requested no later than 72 hours before departure. Attention, we advise you to make your request as soon as possible, doing it at the last moment exposes you to the non-issuance of the ESTA in time.
Following your ESTA request:
- The request is granted, your ESTA will be offered as soon as possible.
- The request is rejected. In this case, the applicant will have to apply for a visa with the consular service of the United States Embassy.
Your entry into the United States:
- Submit your passport with ESTA (or visa if applicable).
- Show your return flight ticket.
- Present proof of solvency (credit card, check, cash, etc.).
WARNING: if you have applied for ESTA and it has been granted and then you have traveled to certain countries (since 2011) said to be at risk by the USA (Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Iran, South Sudan, etc.), your entry on American soil may be refused.
Same goes for Cuba: if you travelled to this country (since 12/01/2021) with the passport for your application, you will then need a Visa (specific process).
Your Visas for the United States of America: Visas fees
NB : The lead times given here are the ones from Consulates and/or Embassies.
Visas
eVisa
VTI’s advice for your trip to the USA
WARNING to all ESTA holders!
If you have an ESTA but have subsequently traveled to a country on the US blacklist, such as Yemen, Syria, Iran or Iraq (non-exhaustive list and may varied at all times), then your ESTA is invalidated and you will not be able to use it to enter American soil.
A visa application will then have to be made to the United States Embassy.
Same goes for Cuba: if you travelled to this country with the passport for your application, you will then need a Visa (specific process).