- Start Application Immediately
- Easy to Understand Instructions
- Apply Online or by Mail
- Pricing and Fee Information Included
- Checklist of Required Documents
- Unlimited Online Support
ESTA Visa Waiver Program Guide
The Visa Waiver Program via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization may allow citizens of these countries to enter the United States. You must apply for either a B-1 Business Visa or a B-2 Tourist Visa if you do not have a passport from one of these countries.
Visa Waiver Program General Information
- Business
- Commerce
- Travel
- Pleasure
- Vacation
- Transit
ESTA cannot be used to search for a job in the USA. Visa Waiver does not allow you to study in the USA. For extended stays of more than 90 days, you will be unable to apply for an ESTA visa in the USA.
DHS administers the VWP. The VWP allows citizens and nationals of certain countries to travel to America for business or tourism for less than 90 days without needing a visa. Additional information is available in the Overview of the Visa Waiver Program.
You can submit your online application at the ESTA website. If you are planning to travel to the USA, it is best to apply as soon as possible. You will be asked basic questions about your eligibility and biographical information. This information is not necessary for the I-94W application.
While applications may be submitted any time before travel, DHS recommends submitting them 72 hours before departure.
ESTA cannot be used for long-term travel. No matter your purpose, you can travel to the United States for up to 90 days.
What is the Visa Waiver Program?
The United States has an agreement in place with certain countries. The ESTA is open to citizens of member countries of the VWP. They can travel to the United States as tourists. You cannot apply if you are not a citizen from a country included in the agreement.
Citizens of 40 countries can travel to the United States to visit their relatives or for business for 90 days or less without a visa. This program was created in 1986 to improve relations between the United States of America and its allies. It eliminates unnecessary travel barriers, encourages the tourism industry, and allows the Department of State’s consular resources to be directed elsewhere.
Visa Waiver-eligible travelers can apply for a United States Visa for up to 90 days, but they are not allowed to continue. There are two requirements for the Visa Waiver Program: a passport and an eligibility requirement. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) has been a pre-departure requirement for visa waiver travelers since January 12, 2009. The United States Travel Authorization does not provide a visa but allows you to travel to the United States to apply for admission.
A Travel Authorization is not required to be approved. Visa Waiver Program Application Guide provides a detailed, easy-to-understand guide that will help you successfully travel to the United States with the Visa Waiver Program.
What's included?
- Visa Waiver Program Overview
- Liste of Visa Waiver Countries
- Visa Waiver requirements
- Visa Waiver benefits
- Visa Waiver drawbacks
- Information about eligibility for Visa Waiver
- Description and sample form I-94W
- Instructions for applying for a USA Online Visa
- USA Online Visa transit information
- How to update an existing travel authorization
- Information on when to apply for a travel authorization
- Information regarding Arrival and Departure Records
- How to apply for a new Travel Authorization
- What to do if you are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
- Liste of all USCIS Offices in the Nation
- Directory of U.S. Consulates and Embassies
- How to get the most recent United States immigration forms
Visa Waiver Program General Information
- January 12, 2009: All Visa Waiver Program travelers must register online before entering the United States by air or sea. Travelers who do not have an accepted Travel Authorization are not allowed to board planes or seaplanes bound for the United States.