The United States Department of State has provided fresh clarification on the requirements governing its Visa Waiver Programme (VWP).
It includes the complete list of countries whose citizens are permitted to enter the United States without obtaining a conventional visa.
Under the programme, qualifying travellers are allowed to visit the US for tourism or business purposes for a period of up to 90 days.
Instead of going through the regular visa application process, eligible travellers must first receive approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), an online screening platform.
According to the US Department of State, this authorization must be secured before passengers board a flight or sea vessel bound for the United States.
However, travellers who would rather have a physical visa stamped into their passport are still free to apply for a standard visitor visa.
Which countries participate in the waiver programme?
The US government limits participation in the Visa Waiver Programme to selected partner countries. Citizens from the following nations currently qualify for visa-free travel under the programme:
- 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
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
What are the passport security rules?
In addition to being a citizen of one of the participating countries, travellers must also satisfy specific passport security requirements before they can benefit from the visa waiver.
US border authorities require all eligible passengers to carry a secure electronic passport fitted with an embedded microchip that meets internationally recognised aviation security standards.
This requirement extends to every traveller, including infants as well as those using emergency or temporary passports during transit.
In addition, certain travellers lose their eligibility for the Visa Waiver Programme because of their travel history or dual nationality.
People who have travelled to or lived in certain restricted countries, including Cuba, Iran, Iraq, or Sudan, are not permitted to use the ESTA system. Instead, they must schedule and attend an in-person interview at a US consular office before travelling.
