About Non-Immigrant Visas

Important notice

The Embassy strongly encourages intending travelers to apply for visas well in advance of their proposed journey, and to always refrain from making irrevocable travel plans until the visa has been issued and they are in receipt of their passport and visa.

The following provides information on visa requirements for travelers to the United States who wish to visit, work or study for a temporary period. The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of your travel. If you are a French national and intend to visit the United States for less than 90 days, you may be able to travel without first obtaining a  visa if you have registered on-line through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). See the "Do I need a visa ?" page for more information.

Approval of travel by ESTA is valid only for travelers with passports that meet the U.S. biometric standards for travel under the Visa Waiver Program.  To determine whether or not your passport meets these standards, please open our gallery or refer to the following chart (PDF, 128 kb). 

Method of application

With limited exceptions, nonimmigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a US Consular officer. Interviews are by appointment only. The Embassy does not accept walk-in applications. See visa appointments for more information.

A message to B1/B2 applicants not resident in France or Monaco

To qualify for B1/B2 visas, you need to overcome the consular officer's presumption that you are an intending immigrant as outlined in section 214 (b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). You can overcome this presumption by providing evidence that you have strong, binding ties to your home country, and that you have no intention of abandoning your residence abroad.  It can be difficult for a consular officer located in Paris, France to determine if you overcome the presumption of immigrant intent if you are not habitually resident in France or Monaco.  While Embassy Paris has no policy excluding applications from applicants not resident in France or Monaco, please keep the above information in mind as you decide where to apply for your visa.