Non-Immigrant Visas
Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a U.S. visa.
Effective January 12th. 2009, all individuals traveling on the VWP will be required to obtain an Electronic System Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the United States. For more information please visit our ESTA page.
The thirty-four participating countries are:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and The United Kingdom.
As of November 17, 2008, the Visa Waiver Program has been expanded. Citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Korea and the Slovak Republic will be able to travel without a visa for tourist and business purposes for up to 90 days or less provided they possess a biometric passport and register on-line through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
Certain travelers still need to apply for a visa, such as those who have previously overstayed in the U.S. Travelers previously denied visas, or who have criminal records, or who believe they may be ineligible for a visa, should apply for a visa before traveling to the United States. For information on how to apply for a visa, forms, and to schedule an appointment for a visa interview, please visit the following link on our "how to apply" section:
Visas are required for business travelers and tourists who wish to stay in the U.S. more than 90 days, airline crew members, crew members of commercial, private or maritime vessels, students, exchange visitors, temporary workers and intra-company transferees, treaty traders, religious workers, performers and artists, and journalists/media representatives.
If you are unsure if you should apply for a visa or if you jsut need to fill out an ESTA and travel under the Visa Waiver Program, please see our Visa or ESTA? page.
Passport Requirements:
October 26, 2004: A valid machine readable passport is required to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
Each traveler, including a child of any age, is required to present an individual machine-readable passport.
October 26, 2005: Passports issued between 10/26/05 and 10/26/06, must have a digital photograph. (Denmark is compliant)
Passports issued prior to 10/26/05 are still valid for traveling on the VWP provided they are machine-readable.
October 26, 2006: Passports issued after 10/26/06, must contain biometric identifiers in order to qualify the bearer to travel visa-free under the Visa Waiver Program.
To qualify, travelers from participating countries must:
- Have a valid machine-readable passport issued by the participating country and be a citizen - not just a resident - of that country;
- Be seeking entry for 90 days or less as a temporary visitor;
- If entering by air or sea, have a round-trip or through transportation ticket issued on a carrier (e.g., airline or shipping company) that has signed an agreement with the U.S. government to participate in the VWP, and arriving in the U.S. aboard such a carrier;
- Have proof of financial solvency and hold a completed and signed VWP arrival/departure form (I-94W), on which the traveler has waived the right to a hearing of exclusion or deportation. These forms will be available from participating carriers, from travel agents, and land-border ports of entry. (Travelers should consult carriers before departure to verify which ones are participating in the VWP.)
- The traveler may not have overstayed a previous visit to the United States.
- Travelers who have a criminal record must apply for a visa.
- Travelers who previously have been denied a visa to the U.S. do not qualify to travel under the Visa Waiver Program.
Entry at a land border crossing point from Canada or Mexico is permitted under the VWP. Travelers who apply for entry at a land border crossing point are not required to present round-trip transportation tickets or arrive at the border entry point aboard a carrier that has signed an agreement with the U.S. to participate in the VWP. However, all other VWP requirements do apply to such travelers.
Visitors applying for entry under this program are allowed to remain 90 days; no extensions are granted, and travelers may not change their status. Travel to contiguous countries (Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean countries) is permitted during the 90 days, but travelers will not be granted an additional 90 days after re-entry. Consistent with regulations governing B1/B2 temporary visitor visas, travelers arriving under the VWP may not work or study in the United States.