En esta noticia

The U.S. visa is a fundamental document for most tourists who want to visit the United States, since unless there is an exemption to process it, the authorities will request it as part of the mandatory checks to authorize entry.

However, nationals from more than 40 countries who do not have a visa can apply for an alternative authorization -whose cost is around 40 dollars- to enter the U.S. for tourism or business, as long as they plan to travel for less than 90 days.

Entering the United States without a U.S. visa: who can pay for this alternative authorization

Through the well-known Visa Waiver Program (VWP), citizens of participating nations will be able to apply for another entry authorization, different from the U.S. visa, to travel for up to 90 days for the aforementioned purposes.

For this, they will have to submit an ESTA application through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. If the request is approved, this document will fulfill the same role as the tourist visa and will remain valid for up to two years, during which multiple visits can be made.

List of countries that are part of the VWP

  • 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

Steps to apply for the 40-dollar authorization

This authorization is processed through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, and the following requirements must be met

  • Have a valid passport (electronic and generally valid for at least 6 months into the future from the time of travel)
  • Have a valid email address
  • Provide an address and phone number
  • Pay the application fee, which costs USD 40.27 dollars

All the steps and documents to complete the process can be consulted by clicking here.