USA VISAS | UNITED STATES

IS AN ESTA REQUIRED FOR ARRIVAL BY LAND?

The ESTA is a travel authorization that allows many people who love the USA to stay in the country for up to 90 days. To qualify for this authorization, certain conditions must be met. The applicant must belong to one of the following groups VWP member countriesmust hold a valid biometric or e-passport, must have a maximum stay of 90 days, and must be traveling for tourism, business or transit purposes before reaching a final destination (to the United States, France or Italy). CanadaMexico or Cuba, for example). But what about people arriving by land? Do they need an ESTA? What are the entry requirements? These are the questions we answer in this article!

IS ESTA COMPATIBLE WITH ARRIVAL BY CAR?

ESTA authorization is now mandatory if you are traveling by land from Canada or Mexico. To be more precise, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization is mandatory for travelers arriving by air, sea or land.

To apply for ESTA, go to the official U.S. government website and fill in the online form. Authorization is obtained quickly: 72 hours are enough to obtain a return, which is a far cry from applying for a visitor’s visa. The price of an ESTA is $21, and there may be additional charges if you use the services of a private company.

EQUIVALENT TO ESTA FOR ARRIVAL BY LAND

As mentioned above, nationals in possession of an ESTA can cross the U.S. border without further administrative formalities. Before crossing the border by car, make sure your passport is valid for the entire duration of your stay. If it expires, your entry into the U.S. will not be guaranteed. And remember, ESTA can only be used for short stays. If your trip exceeds the 90-day limit, you will need to obtain a visa. To find out more about the formalities involved in applying for a visa, please contact the US consulate or embassy.

All that’s left is to wish you a wonderful trip to the USA.