Do you want to travel to the United States of America without Visa, if yes here are the simple steps on how to complete the U.S. Visa Waiver Program Authorization online and also see some of the basic US Visa Waiver Program requirements.
The U.S. Visa Waiver Program permits citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.
What is U.S. Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program that enables nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business (visitor visa purposes) for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Not all countries participate in the VWP, and not all travelers from VWP countries are eligible to use the program.
VWP travelers are required to apply for authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), are screened at their port of entry into the United States, and are enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s OBIM program.
US Visa Waiver Program Countries 2022
You must be a citizen or national of the following United States Visa Waiver Program countries to be eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP.
| Andorra Australia Austria Belgium Brunei Chile Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece | Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Japan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco Netherlands | New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Republic of Korea San Marino Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan United Kingdom |
To be eligible to travel under the VWP, British citizens must have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
Visa Waiver Program Requirements
Travel under the Visa Waiver Program is restricted to travelers possessing passports with specified security features. Visa Waiver Program requirements are:
- Possess a passport with an integrated chip (e-passport))
- Register online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
- Meet the standard VWP conditions mentioned below
U.S. Visa Waiver Program Passport Requirements
All VWP travelers, regardless of age or type of passport used, must present a machine-readable passport. In addition, depending on when VWP travelers’ passports were issued, other VWP passport requirements apply:
- Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended on or after October 26, 2006, require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-Passport).
- Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended between October 26, 2005, and October 25, 2006, require digital photographs printed on the data page.
- Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended before October 26, 2005have no further requirements.
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U.S. Visa Waiver Program Authorization Qualifications
To enter the U.S. on the Visa Waiver Program, travelers must:
- Be a citizen of one of the countries listed above, and in possession of a VWP-compliant passport.
- Possess the ESTA authorization
- Stay in the U.S. for 90 days or less
- Plan to travel for:
- Business– The purpose of your planned travel is to consult with business associates, travel for a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or conference on specific dates, settle an estate or negotiate a contract.
- Pleasure/Tourism– The purpose of your planned travel is recreational in nature, including tourism, vacation (holiday), amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature, and participation by amateurs, who will receive no remuneration, in musical, sports and similar events or contests.
- Transit- If you are traveling through the United States.
AND if entering the U.S. by air or sea must be:
- Holding a return or onward ticket. If traveling on an electronic ticket, a copy of the itinerary must be carried for presentation to the immigration inspector. Travelers with onward tickets terminating in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, or the Caribbean Islands must be legal residents of these areas
- Entering the United States aboard an air or sea carrier that has agreed to participate in the program. This includes aircraft of a U.S. corporation that has entered into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to carry passengers under the Visa Waiver Program.
Visit here for more details about the U.S. Visa Waiver program authorization and requirements
