Refugee in France; can I apply for a US tourist visa with a titre de voyage?
I am a refugee in France with a residence permit and a titre de voyage (refugee travel document). I want to visit the United States as a tourist. Will my documents be sufficient to be issued a tourist visa for the USA?
Best Answer
Your travel document is fine to submit instead of a passport. That is the whole point of the document, after all. The US will accept it as such.
The definition of "passport" in United States law includes any travel document issued by a foreign government or international organization, whether it has the word "passport" printed on it or not. The controlling factors are that it must identify the traveler and be valid for the traveler to return to the country which issued it.
The definition of "passport" is in INA 101(a)(30), (8 USC 1101(a)(30)) which states:
(30) The term “passport” means any travel document issued by competent authority showing the bearer’s origin, identity, and nationality if any, which is valid for the admission of the bearer into a foreign country.
This is interpreted by the State Department in accordance with the Foreign Affairs Manual, which states in relevant part:
a. The term competent authority as used in INA 101(a)(30) means an official who is duly authorized to issue passports by the government of the country of issuance. The term is not linked with the maintenance of diplomatic relations with, or recognition by, the United States. Accordingly, the Department will determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a passport-issuing authority is a competent authority within the meaning of INA 101(a)(30).
It goes on to state cases in which the visa may be placed in the travel document, or must be issued on a separate sheet of paper. (For instance, North Korean citizens get their US visas on a separate paper, as does the Queen of England, who does not have a passport.)
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Can I travel to USA with French Refugee Travel Document?
Your travel document is fine to submit instead of a passport. That is the whole point of the document, after all. The US will accept it as such.Which countries I can travel with France Refugee Travel Document?
However, this does not mean that you can visit every country as you wish, there are only a handful of countries where you can go visa-free (or at all) with refugee travel documents....US Refugee Travel Document Visa Free Countries- Germany.
- Netherlands.
- Belgium.
- Croatia.
- Slovenia.
- Slovakia.
- Hungary.
- Cyprus.
Can refugees apply for US visa?
If you are admitted as a refugee, you must apply for a Green Card one year after coming to the United States. To apply for permanent residency, file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status. There is no fee for refugees to file the Form I-485.How can I apply for US tourist visa from France?
To obtain a US ESTA authorization, French passport holders simply need to fill in and submit an online application form. Applicants from France must also meet certain requirements to have their ESTA travel authorization for America approved.The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR)
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