The ESTA, or ESTA authorization, is a travel document that enables many foreign nationals around the world to travel to the USA without having to apply for an American visa. To obtain ESTA authorization, you need to apply online and complete the ESTA form. This is supplemented by an ESTA medical and criminal history questionnaire. Is diabetes grounds for refusal to travel to the USA? How do I fill in the ESTA form if I’m diabetic? Find out in our article.
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How do I fill in the ESTA form?
French nationals holding an electronic or biometric passport can apply for an ESTA for transit, tourist or business travel to the United States lasting less than 90 days.
The application is based on an online form, which can be found on the U.S. government’s official website. The ESTA form must be completed by every person, including children, who is planning to travel to the USA. The U.S. government offers the option of making an individual or group application. The advantage of the latter is that you pay the ESTA fees in one go.
The ESTA form identifies the applicant by means of personal information (marital status, contact details, employment, social networks, etc.) and passport data (passport number, date of issue and expiry date), and enables the applicant to be located during his or her stay in the USA (local address and emergency contact). It is completed by a questionnaire enabling the American authorities to determine whether the traveler poses a threat to American homeland security.
If this form seems too difficult, or if you prefer to call in a specialist for the sake of ease and time savings, you can fill in the simplified form on a private site.
h2>Is being diabetic incompatible with ESTA?
As previously mentioned, the ESTA form contains a question about your state of health. An important detail: the question concerns contagious diseases and mental illness. Indeed, the aim of the American authorities is to determine whether you represent a threat to national security: if you are contagious, the disease could spread to American citizens; if you suffer from a mental disorder, the authorities fear you could have a violent episode. Being diabetic does not represent a danger to others.
Being diabetic is therefore no obstacle to obtaining ESTA authorization. To complete the ESTA, all you have to do is tell the truth and answer “no” to the question about your state of mental and physical health.
Tips for travelers: ask your doctor for a letter stating that you need specific treatment, which is why you’ll need to pack some medication. It’s also a good idea to take out travel insurance to cover medical expenses and even repatriation.
