Traveling to the USA: Get prepared!
Travel to USABefore getting lost in the streets of New York, attacking Hollywood and its celebrities, strolling on the beaches of Miami or getting carried away by the euphoria of the games and shows of Las Vegas, he should prepare well for their trip to the USA.
Indeed, the formalities are constantly becoming more complex and uninformed tourists risk being surprised at the last moment. What are the procedures to follow? What are the mandatory documents? Are there any specific baggage rules?
Entry formalities
Passport
To enter the United States, you must have a passport. Thanks to the Visa Waiver Program, French citizens (as well as those of most European countries) no longer need a Visa if they present a valid biometric passport or an individual machine-readable passport (also called Delphine) valid and issued before October 26, 2005.
Otherwise, it will be necessary to obtain a new passport, or a Visa. The passport must be valid during your stay, it is not mandatory that it still be valid 6 months after your return. If you have a machine-readable passport issued between October 26, 2005 and March 30, 2006, it is possible to exchange it free of charge at the police headquarters and obtain an electronic passport.
ESTA
ESTA authorization (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is also required. This is a form that must be completed online and validated before departure.
This document replaces the old "green sheet" and concerns all French nationals and those of other countries who have joined the VWP (Visa Waiver program). This system took effect on January 12, 2009.
The ESTA is requested from tourists who plan to go to the United States for a period of less than 90 days. Both children and adults are subject to it. Only travelers holding a Visa or traveling by land are excluded from this procedure.
This authorization must be printed and kept at hand for any trip by plane or boat at the risk of not being able to enter American territory.
The form is valid for 2 years or until the expiry date of the passport. The last deadline to fill it in is 72 hours before departure, but it is ideal to prepare it when organizing the trip.
The payment of the tax of 14 US$, necessary for each request. This tax, applied since September 8, 2010, must be paid by credit card.
Visa
There are different types of visa for people wishing to stay more than 90 days on American soil. Depending on your activity (internship, study, job, etc.) or position (journalist, athlete, etc.), you will have to go through different procedures to obtain the appropriate visa. Obtaining a Visa requires making an appointment with an American officer at the United States Consulate. As of July 29, 2012, it is mandatory to pre-fill Form DS-160 and pay all fees before requesting an appointment. The validity period of a Visa is 10 years.
If during your stay you plan to improve your English or take lessons of less than 18 hours per week, the Student Visa is not useful. Note that this volume is reduced to less than 12 hours for university courses.
There is no Group Visa and children under 14 and seniors aged 80 and over can submit their application by post, without making an appointment.
Other documents to provide
To travel to the USA, you must complete your file with a plane ticket or a return cruise ticket in order to justify your upcoming exit from the territory. Indeed, tourists have a right of stay for a maximum of 90 days. There is no extension possible once there and it is not allowed to change status, take up a job or study.
The American authorities also require that travelers have proof of solvency which can be a traveler's check, a credit card or any other similar document.
What about land borders?
If you like adventure and you take the road to go to the United States, you will have to pay a tax of 6US$, in cash. To cross land borders between Canada and the United States and between Mexico and the United States, you must have a valid passport, a return ticket and proof of your creditworthiness.
What precautions should be taken when preparing the suitcase?
The question of luggage does not only concern travelers, it also arouses the vigilance of the American authorities. Here is a short summary of the different instructions to follow, they concern the majority of airlines but some may differ, do not hesitate to check with yours before preparing your luggage for your departure.
Hand luggage : this suitcase or bag must be a maximum of 56 cm long, 45 cm wide and 25 cm high. It is possible to bring an accessory such as a laptop, a handbag or any other small bag useful for a camera, fragile or valuable objects. This cabin baggage can be closed for their safety. Any object that may be dangerous or serve as a weapon must be placed in checked baggage. Liquid products, creams, aerosols or gels must not exceed a volume of 100ml per item. They are to be stored in a square plastic bag (20 cm x 20 cm) and transparent. Only items purchased in "duty free" at the airport are not subject to restrictions. As for medications, if they are in liquid form, you must carry your medical prescription with you. If you are traveling with an infant, baby food is not prohibited, but you may be asked to taste it.
Baggage in the hold : the maximum size of suitcases to put in the hold is 157/158 cm and the maximum weight is 23 kg. If you exceed these indications, you will have to pay additional fees. Useful information such as name, permanent and destination address, telephone number and e-mail address must appear on each piece of baggage. To secure your personal belongings, choose TSA-certified padlocks that can be opened or closed more easily by customs officers if necessary. Any other type of lock is not recommended. There are objects prohibited in the hold such as lighters or gas cylinders, the easiest way is to get good information from the airline.
You should know that if you take a connecting flight, it is possible to check in the baggage only once, directly to the destination.
Some food products are not allowed to enter the United States, such as vegetables, raw milk cheeses or fruits. If you need provisions, prefer canned and vacuum-packed products and respect the maximum authorized volume.
As for alcohol and tobacco, you are entitled to 1 liter of wine or alcohol if you are aged 21 and over, 2 kg of tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars.
Latest tips
Once on the plane, a form for customs is distributed. It will have to be filled in completely while avoiding erasures. This document is also available for registration.
Your boarding pass, passport and the name and address of your destination residence should always be easily accessible.
Before the home stretch, you must go through the border police for various formalities: passport verification, collection of the Visa exemption form, if applicable, taking a photo of you without glasses, taking your fingerprints and brief interview on the purpose of your trip to the United States and its duration.
After this procedure, you can collect your baggage and submit the relevant declaration.
Be sure at all times to respect the hierarchy and the customs officers. Please note that no physical contact is allowed during these procedures.
You are now ready to discover the USA. To take full advantage of your stay, do not hesitate to take out suitable insurance , as treatment is very expensive.
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