Visa Waiver Program USA Details

Citizens of the following countries; the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia the Republic of Korea and from November 1, 2012, Taiwan*, may be eligible to travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program if they are traveling for business, pleasure or are in transit , they are in possession of an electronic passport (e-passport) and they meet all of the following requirements.

You will qualify for travel under the Visa Waiver Program if you are a citizen of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia or the Republic of Korea:

• traveling on a valid e-passport with an electronic chip. Please check the validity of your passport by following this link. Failure to determine that your passport qualifies for the VWP may result in you being denied boarding by the airline;
• for business, pleasure or transit for less than 90 days. Visa-free travel does not include those who plan to study, work or remain in the United States for more than 90 days;
• is not ineligible to receive a visa under U.S. visa law. Travelers who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP are not eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program;

• holding a return or onward ticket. If traveling on an electronic ticket, a copy of the itinerary must be carried for presentation to U.S. immigration at the port of entry. Note: Travelers with onward tickets terminating in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be legal permanent 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. Note: Other private or official aircraft or vessels do not meet this requirement; and
• has received authorization to travel under ESTA;
• Or, if entering the United States by land from Canada or Mexico,
• Is in possession of a completed form I-94W, issued by the immigration authorities at the port of entry, and a $6.00 fee, payable only in U.S. dollars.

Transit under the Visa Waiver Program

Travelers who qualify for visa free travel under the Visa Waiver Program may transit the United States. Prior to boarding the carrier they must obtain travel authorization under ESTA.

If transiting the United States to a destination in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands, the traveler may re-enter the United States on the return journey using any mode of transport, as long as the total visit, including both periods of time spent in transit and in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands, does not exceed 90 days. If transiting to a destination outside of Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands, the return journey must be on a participating carrier, but need not be within 90 days, as the traveler will be required to make a new application for admission. Travelers transiting the United States to take up residence in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be legal permanent residents of these areas.

VISA WAIVER PROGRAM Canada

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows foreign nationals from certain countries to be admitted to the U.S. under limited conditions and for a limited time without obtaining a visa. Visitors to Canada who wish to travel on to the United States, and who are citizens of countries included in the program, have only to present their passports at any U.S. port of entry.

The advantage of entering the U.S. under the VWP is that tourists and people wishing to conduct business in America can travel to the U.S. spontaneously without obtaining visas, unless they are otherwise inadmissible.

Citizens of VWP countries may still be refused entry to the U.S. under a variety of circumstances. This page presents information that will be sufficient for most travelers. If your circumstances are unusual, it is strongly recommended that you follow the links provided for more detailed information.

Note: Passports issued between October 26, 2005 and October 26, 2006 must contain a digitized photograph of the bearer to be eligible for entry under the VWP. Passports issued after October 26, 2006 must bee-passports -- that is, they must include an integrated computer chip in order to be eligible for entry under the VWP.

Countries in the Visa Waiver Program

Below is the list of countries currently in the VWP. Please note that the U.S. Attorney General, in consultation with the U.S. Secretary of State, may add countries to the program or remove them from the program at any time. For information on how countries qualify for the Visa Waiver Program,

Note: Please read beyond the list of qualifying countries as there are specific passport requirements and other eligibility requirements which will require some citizens of VWP countries to apply for a U.S. visa. Most notably, visitors to the U.S. are required to present a Machine Readable Passport in order to utilize the Visa Waiver program.

Citizens or nationals of the following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP:

Visa Waiver Countries

Andorra	Australia	Austria	Belgium
Brunei	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France	Germany	Greece
Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy
Japan	Latvia	Liechtenstein	Lithuania
Luxembourg	Malta	Monaco	The Netherlands
New Zealand	Norway	Portugal	San Marino
Singapore	Slovakia	Slovenia	South Korea
Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	United Kingdom*

* United Kingdom: A passport indicating that the bearer is a British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British National (Overseas) Citizen, or British Protected Person does not qualify for travel without a visa. A passport which states holder has Right of Abode or indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom does not qualify for visa free travel.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, you must:

• intend to enter the U.S. for 90 days or less for business or pleasure;
• carry a passport that is machine-readable and valid for six months beyond your intended visit unless the applicant's country is part of the "Six Month Club" (visit the Customs and Border Protection website to ensure you are viewing the most recent version of the "Six Month Club" list);
• if your passport was issued between October 26, 2005 and October 26, 2006, have a passport containing a digitized photograph of yourself;
• if your passport was issued after October 26, 2006, have an e-passport -- that is, you must have a passport that includes an integrated computer chip;
• be a national of the VWP country that issued your passport;
• be cleared by the ESTA system;
• have a return trip ticket (Note: This requirement is waived in the case of travelers arriving at a land border.);
• not pose a safety threat to the United States;
• not have failed to comply with the conditions of any previous admission under the visa waiver program;
• convince the examining immigration officer that you are clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to be admitted and that you are not inadmissible under section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; and
• waive any right to challenge an immigration officer's decision as to your admissibility, other than on the basis of an application for asylum.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers are required to obtain a travel authorization via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP. (Note: Canadian citizens are exempt from this requirement.) More information on ESTA is available from our Consular section.

Starting 8 September 2010, the Department of Homeland Security began requiring travelers from the Visa Waiver Program countries to pay operational and travel promotion fees when applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The new fee will be $14.00 USD and may be paid through the following credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover. Payments may also be made with a debit card that holds the Visa or MasterCard symbol. You are not required to re-register when the new fees go into effect if you already have a valid ESTA.

For additional information on ESTA, please consult this DHS FAQ.

When To Apply For A Visa

Citizen of VWP countries who intend to visit the United States for more than 90 days must obtain a non-immigrant visa before arriving at the U.S. port of entry. To find out more about acquiring a non-immigrant visa or to schedule a visa appointment, please visit the U.S. Visa Service website.

Additionally, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the U.S. Immigration officers may refuse entry to citizens of a VWP country under certain circumstances. For more information about the general classes of persons who may be found ineligible for admission to the United States, please visit this page provided by the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

If you believe that any grounds of inadmissibility may apply to you, you should apply for a non-immigrant visa.

The Arrival/Departure Form

Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) shows the date you arrived in the United States and the "Admitted Until" date, the date when your authorized period of stay expires. You will receive a Form I-94 from a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services inspector when arriving in the United States at a port of entry. The form must be completed and presented to a USCIS inspector who may ask you questions about the purpose of your trip, how long you will be in the United States, and your residence abroad. When you leave the country, you should give your Form I-94 to your airline.

For more information on the Arrival-Departure Form -- including how to return your Form should you leave by land or sea -- please consult this guide.

Re-admission to the U.S.

Generally, VWP applicants admitted under the VWP may be readmitted to the U.S. after a departure to Canada or Mexico or adjacent islands for the balance of their original admission period, provided they are otherwise admissible and meet all the conditions of the VWP.

Visa Waiver Program

Visa Waiver Program

Travelers coming to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or less from qualified countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. without a visa if they meet the visa waiver program requirements. Select Visa Waiver Program to learn more, and find out if you meet the visa waiver requirements.

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply. Please consult the instructions available on the embassy or consulate websitewhere you will apply.

Complete the Online Visa Application

Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Learn more about completing the DS-160. You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.

Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

Schedule an Interview

While interviews are generally not required for applicants of certain ages outlined below, consular officers have the discretion to require an interview of any applicant, regardless of age.

If you are age:	Than an interview is:
13 and younger	Generally not required
14-79	Required (some exceptions for renewals)
80 and older	Generally not required

You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally, at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. embassy or consulate, but be aware that it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.

Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early. Review the interview wait timefor the location where you will apply.

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