Marigot:--- The Sous Prefecture is reminding all travellers going to the United States of some of the procedures that needs to be followed prior to gaining access to that country. During this period of summer vacations, you must be reminded the procedures for entry into the United States of America for French citizens, wanting to travel to this country for pleasure or business for a period of less than 90 days.
1) Be in possession of a French passport with a ten year validity period (or five years for minors) allowing them to take advantage of the American visa exempt programme.
2) Be in possession of an electronic travel authorisation (ESTA), if I do not need a visa. This autorisation is free of charge and must be obtained before you travel on line at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
THE TABLE BELOW SHOWS THE DIFFERENT FRENCH PASSPORTS IN CIRCULATION:
|
Old passport(cannot (1) |
PASSPORT WITH OPTICAL READING (2) |
PASSPORT WITH OPTICAL READING (DELPHINE MODEL) ISSUED BETWEEN OCTOBER 26, 2005 AND OCTOBER 26, 2006) (3) |
ELECTRONIC PASSPORT (WITH ELECTRONIC CHIP AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPH) (4) |
|
I NEED A VISA |
I DO NOT NEED A VISA |
I NEED A VISA |
I DO NOT NEED A VISA |
|
I NEED AN ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (ESTA) |
* |
I NEED AN ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (ESTA) |
* THE OPTICAL READING PASSPORT "DELPHINE" ISSUED BETWEEN OCTOBER 26, 2005 AND OCTOBER 26, 2006 CAN BE EXCHANGED FREE OF CHARGE BY SHOWING THE PROOF OF AN UPCOMING TRIP OR TRANSIT TO THE USA.
HOW TO IDENTIFY MY PASSPORT ?
(1) HANDWRITTEN OR TYPED PASSPORT WITH GLUED ON PHOTOGRAPH AND VERTICAL READING
(2) HORIZONTAL READING PASSPORT WITH TWO LINES OF CODES UNDER THE PHOTOGRAPH AND ISSUED AT THE LATEST ON OCTOBER 25, 2005
(3) HORIZONTAL READING PASSPORT WITH TWO LINES OF CODES UNDER THE PHOTOGRAPH AND ISSUED BETWEEN OCTOBER 26, 2005 AND OCTOBER 26, 2006
(4) HORIZONTAL READING PASSPORT WITH ELECTRONIC CHIP AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPH.
EMERGENCY PASSPORTS ( ONE YEAR VALIDITY).
Since July 1, 2009, only electronic or biometric emergency passports allow one to be exempted from a visa to travel to the USA. These passports with one-year validity are not issued in Saint Martin and Saint-Barthelemy but they will soon be.
In the immediate future, French citizens holding an emergency passport issued by the prefecture of Saint-Barthelemy and Saint Martin must request a visa. In the absence of a visa, they are liable to be denied entry into the USA by an immigration officer.
Any further change in this special system concerning only emergency passports will be immediately communicated to the public.
