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Thousands of travelers are required to obtain a U.S. visa as a basic requirement to be able to travel to the U.S. port of entry. It is a key document that is stamped in the passport and is processed through a lengthy procedure that takes into account the purpose of the trip.
However, having a visa is not necessary in all cases: the Visa Waiver Program or Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows nationals of member countries to obtain an alternative authorization that costs $40.27 and can be used to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days, as long as the purpose is tourism or business.
Visa Waiver Program: what it is and which countries are members
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explains that this program is administered in consultation with the Department of State and offers visa-free stays of up to three months for the purposes specified above. In return, participating nations must provide U.S. citizens and nationals with the same ability to travel without a business or tourist visa for a comparable period.
“Eligible people who use the VWP to travel to the United States are thoroughly screened before departing for the United States, upon arrival at U.S. ports of entry, and during any subsequent air travel within the United States,” the authorities state.
Which nations are part of the VWP
According to the official list, there are 42 participating nations:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- South Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
To be able to travel, all applicants are required to have processed their ESTA application.
The $40 permit used to travel to the United States: how to apply for it
The official application website, administered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), indicates that those who must apply for this permit are:
- They are citizens of countries in the program
- They do not currently have a valid visa (those who already have a visa may submit this document directly)
- They plan to travel for 90 days or less
- They want to submit a new application for a person or group
To begin the application, you will need to gather the following documentation:
- Valid passport from a VWP member country
- Traveler’s photo
- Valid email address
- Home address and phone number
- Emergency phone and email for travelers
- A method to pay the $40.27 application fee. Payment methods include MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and PayPal.
The process can be started by clicking here.
If necessary and applicable, the authorities may also require:
- Traveler’s aliases or other names
- National document or personal identification number
- Traveler ID number in Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI ID
- Traveler’s employer’s address and phone number
- Traveler’s contact name, address, and phone number
“The system will provide you with an automatic response and, before boarding, a carrier will verify electronically with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that you have an approved travel authorization on file,” it states.
This permit is valid for a maximum of two years, during which multiple visits may be made; if the passport of the person applying expires earlier, the authorization ceases to be valid at that moment.