Non-Immigrant Visas
What is the Visa Waiver Program?
ESTA (Electronic System of Travel Authorization) will become mandatory January 12, 2009. ESTA has been employed on a voluntary basis since August 1, 2008. To apply for ESTA, please visit this website
ESTA will enhance travel security and enable individual determinations of eligibility to travel to the United States under VWP (Visa Waiver Program). With ESTA in place, the travel of those eligible to go to the United States under VWP will be facilitated as travelers will learn of their eligibility, or ineligibility, before they arrive at the port of entry in the United States.
Instructions on how to use ESTA are included on the website in English, Japanese, Danish, German, Spanish, French, Icelandic, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Estonian, Finnish, Slovenian, and Czech. Please note, however, that the form must be completed in English.
The following countries are eligible for visa-free travel to the US given that their citizens qualify. Details on qualifying can be found on the ESTA website.
|
Andorra |
France |
Luxembourg |
Singapore |
Czech Republic |
|
Austria |
Germany |
Monaco |
Slovenia |
Estonia |
|
Australia |
Iceland |
Netherlands |
Spain |
Hungary |
|
Belgium |
Ireland |
New Zealand |
Sweden |
Latvia |
|
Brunei |
Italy |
Norway |
Switzerland |
Lithuania |
|
Denmark |
Japan |
Portugal |
United Kingdom |
Slovakia |
|
Finland |
Liechtenstein |
San Marino |
South Korea |
Beginning January 12, 2009, no visitor without a visa or ESTA written authorization will be allowed entry into the United States
Use this chart to determine whether or not your passport qualifies for visa-free travel.