For a stay of more than 90 days in the United States, it is necessary to apply for a Visa at the American Embassy.
Applying for a Visa to go to New York
A visa is an essential permission for foreign nationals who wish to travel to the United States and who meet certain criteria. Entry to the United States has always been subject to very demanding procedures and authorisations.
However, since the tragic attacks of 9 September 2001, and due to the terrorist risks in many Western countries, the conditions for granting entry to the United States have become even more stringent, particularly those relating to the applicant’s connection to certain countries in the Middle East and Africa.
A Visa or ESTA authorization?
Si votre pays est éligible à l’autorisation simplifiée de l’ESTA, mais que les circonstances de votre voyage aux États-Unis répondent à l’un des critères évoqués ci-dessous, vous devrez faire une demande de Visa :
- Your stay in the United States is more than 90 consecutive and uninterrupted days;
- You have dual nationality: you are a French citizen or citizen of any other European Union country, and you have dual Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian and Sudanese nationality.
- You therefore have two valid passports, one of which is for a country considered “at risk” by the US government.
- You are of French nationality or from any other European country, but you have visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria at least once since 2011. This rule does not apply to soldiers whose regiments have been engaged in military operations in the above-mentioned territories or to humanitarian workers who have worked in these regions. The latter can continue to use the ESTA procedure.
Which visa to apply for when travelling to the United States?
There are a large number of visas available for travel to the USA. These include the following visas:
- Business/Turism (Visa B1, B2 et B1/2),
- for Athletes/Artists (Visa O et P),
- au pair girl or boy (Visa J),
- housekeeper (B1, A3, G5 et NATO-7),
- students (Visa F et M)
- exchanges/training/internships (Visa J),
- job (Visa H, L et Q)
In order to make the best application, make sure you choose the right visa category for you. If necessary, contact the US Embassy to clarify your doubts.
How to apply for a visa?
To apply for your visa at the Paris Embassy, you must complete the DS-160 form, which you can download from the U.S. government website: https://ceac.state.gov/genniv. You will need to provide a passport photo that meets the required specifications and attach it to this DS-160 form.
Visa renewals can be done online and by mail with original documents under certain conditions. For a first time visa application, you will need to make an appointment at the American Embassy in Paris (18 avenue Gabriel – 75008 Paris). Please consult the Embassy’s online website to find out which category you fall into.
Additional documents: the case of students
Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, you will need to collect certain additional documents. For example :
- Visa F for general or language studies, you will need the I-20 document (issued by the school or university in the US), and the receipt of payment of the SEVIS fee.
- Visa M for professional or specialized studies, you will need a letter from your educational institution stating your level of study and the authorized length of stay.
You must be enrolled in an educational institution in the United States in order to apply for your student visa. The school in the USA will give you the necessary I-20 form. This form must be registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
To obtain these visas, you must comply with Section 214(b) of the Immigration Code. It requires you to show proof of your ties to France and your intention to leave the United States once you have completed your studies.
Work, pay and Visa
All students who want to study in the USA must show that they have enough money to support themselves during their stay, even without finding a job there. They should attach a bank statement or salary slips to their visa application.
In any case, with the Visa F, you will only be allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week with pay. As for the Visa M, as it is not compatible with any professional activity, it does not allow you to find paid work in the United States.
Spouses and children under the age of 21 may accompany the student, but they will also have to register their form in the SEVIS system. The student will also need to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support their family. The family relationship between the accompanying persons and the student must be demonstrated by an official document such as a Livret de Famille, a birth certificate, a marriage certificate… PACS are not recognised for obtaining a Visa in the USA.
For more information, please consult the Embassy’s page and browse the documents available: https://fr.usembassy.gov/visas/
