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Visa Waiver Program Travelers
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers to obtain approval from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to arrival in the United States.
To apply for authorization to travel to the U.S., travelers may go to the ESTA web-based system and complete an application.
There is no cost to apply and the process takes only a few minutes. In most cases, ESTA will provide an almost immediate determination of eligibility for travel under the VWP.
An approved ESTA travel authorization is:
- valid for up to two years or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first;
- valid for multiple entries into the U.S.; and
- not a guarantee of admissibility to the U.S. at a port of entry. ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the U.S. under the VWP.
Please note that even if you hold ESTA approval, you must still:
- comply with all VWP requirements, including possession of an e-passport, or a passport which contains a machine-readable zone and/or a digital photograph, depending on its date of issuance; and
- complete an I-94W Arrival/Departure Record. The I-94W will be provided at check-in.
If you are a U.S. resident, or are traveling with a valid U.S. visa, you are not required to obtain ESTA approval.
Eligible Countries:
Countries currently enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program include:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Additional information may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/ESTA.
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