Visa Waiver Program

Under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), qualified citizens of 27 countries may enter the United States without a visa for the purposes of tourism, business, or in transit. 

Countries currently authorized to participate in the VWP are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. 

Citizens of the above countries may travel visa-free if they meet ALL of the following requirements:

• The traveler is a citizen of one of the countries named above, traveling on a valid, individual machine-readable passport.  For more information about the passport requirements, please click here;

• Traveling for business, pleasure or transit only;

• Staying in the United States for 90 days or less;

Plus, if entering the United States by air or sea, is:

• Holding a return or onward ticket; And

• Entering the United States aboard an air or sea carrier that has agreed to participate in the program. This includes aircraft of a U.S. corporation that has entered into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to carry passengers under the Visa Waiver Program. (Note: Other private or official aircraft or vessels do not meet this requirement.)  And

• In possession of a completed form I-94W, obtainable from airline and shipping companies.

Or, if entering the United States by land from Canada or Mexico:

• Is in possession of a completed form I-94W, issued by the immigration authorities at the port of entry, and a $6.00 fee, payable only in U.S. dollars.

Who is not eligible

Some travelers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa-free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested -- even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction; those with criminal records (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law); those with certain serious communicable illnesses; those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States; and those who have previously overstayed on the VWP, even by only one day. Such travelers must apply for special restricted visas. If they attempt to travel without a visa, then they may be refused entry into the United States.

If you have previously been refused a visa 

While travelers who have been refused a visa under Section 221(g) or 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act are not ineligible to travel visa-free under the Visa Waiver Program, they will be questioned by an immigration official at the U. S. port of entry regarding the refusal by the Embassy or Consulate, and the immigration official may deny entry to the traveler.

The traveler should carry with him or her evidence of his or her intention to depart the United States at the end of the visit. This is generally satisfied by furnishing evidence of strong social and economic ties to the traveler's place of permanent residence. There is no particular format that this evidence should take, as each person's circumstances differ. If the immigration officer is not satisfied that the traveler meets the qualifications for nonimmigrant status, the traveler will be denied entry.

Transit under the Visa Waiver Program

Travelers who qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program are eligible to transit the United States. Application for entry is made on the arrival/departure Form I-94W provided by the airline or shipping company.

If transiting the United States to a destination in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands, then the traveler may re-enter the United States on the return journey using any mode of transport, as long as the total visit, including both periods of time spent in transit and in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands, does not exceed 90 days.

If transiting to a destination outside of Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent islands, then the return journey must be on a participating carrier, but need not be within 90 days, as the traveler will be required to make a new application for admission and therefore, required to complete a new arrival/departure form, I-94W.

Travelers transiting the United States in order to take up residence in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be legal permanent residents of these areas at the time of transiting the United States, and should be prepared to show evidence of that status.

Important Reminder for All VWP Travelers

Visa-free travel does not include those who plan to study, work, or remain more than 90 days in the United States. Such travelers need visas. If an immigration official has reason to believe that a visa-free traveler intends to study, work, or stay longer than 90 days, then the official will deny admission to the traveler.

For more specific information, please see the Department of State's web page about the Visa Waiver Program.

If your travel to the United States does not meet these requirements, then you must apply for a nonimmigrant visa.