The United States has expanded travel ease through its Visa Waiver Program, allowing citizens from 41 participating countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days, provided the visit is for tourism or business purposes.
The VWP eliminates the need for the traditional visa application process for eligible travellers. Instead, visitors must obtain an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization before departing for the U.S.
Participating countries include Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Under the VWP, eligible travellers can stay in the U.S. for 90 days or less without a visa. However, a valid ESTA authorisation—managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection—is compulsory and must be obtained prior to boarding any flight or vessel to the U.S.
Despite being citizens of VWP countries, some individuals are still required to obtain a traditional U.S. visa under the Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015. This includes:
– Citizens who have visited or been present in North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011.
– Citizens who have visited Cuba on or after January 12, 2021.
– Dual nationals of a VWP country and Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria.
Those ineligible under the VWP can still apply for B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas through the regular visa process.
Travellers are strongly advised to apply for ESTA well in advance of their trip to avoid any unexpected delays or denial of entry.
ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors under the VWP. Approval is required before travel and remains valid for two years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
