page_title: Visa Waiver Program
section_title: Eligible countries
hierarchical_section_title: Visa Waiver Program / Eligible countries
caption_attribution_description: Visa free and Visa Waiver program countries
context_page_description: The Visa Waiver Program is a program of the U.S. federal government that allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. The program applies to the 50 states and District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with limited application to other U.S. territories.
  All of the countries selected by the U.S. government to be in the program are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index that are generally regarded as developed countries.
context_section_description: To be eligible for a visa waiver under the VWP, the traveler seeking admission to the United States must be a citizen of a country that has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, as a "program country". Permanent residents of designated countries who are not citizens of a designated country do not qualify for a visa waiver. The criteria for designation as program countries are specified in Section 217 (c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Title 8 U.S.C. § 1187). The criteria stress passport security and a very low nonimmigrant visa refusal rate, not more than 3% as specified in Section 217(c)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and ongoing compliance with the immigration law of the United States.
  Citizens of 39 countries and territories are eligible for visa-free entry into the United States under the VWP:
   Andorra
   Australia
   Austria
   Belgium
   Brunei
   Chile
   Czech Republic
   Denmark
   Estonia
   Finland
   France
   Germany
   Greece
   Hungary
   Iceland
   Ireland
   Italy
   Japan
   Latvia
   Liechtenstein
   Lithuania
   Luxembourg
   Malta
   Monaco
   Netherlands
   New Zealand
   Norway
   Poland
   Portugal
   San Marino
   Singapore
   Slovakia
   Slovenia
   South Korea
   Spain
   Sweden
    Switzerland
   Taiwan
   United Kingdom
  Notes
  – Citizens with Taiwanese national ID number only.
  – Only British citizens are eligible to participate in the VWP.
  For all countries, citizens with certain countries in their travel history are ineligible (see below)
  Visitors may stay for 90 days in the United States which also includes the time spent in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean if the arrival was through the United States. The ESTA is required if arriving by air or cruise ship. Visa Waiver applies without ESTA for land border crossings, but the VWP does not apply at all (i.e. a visa is required) if a passenger is arriving via air or sea on an unapproved carrier.
  Since 2016, the visa waiver does not apply in cases where a person had previously traveled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 or for those who are dual citizens of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria. Certain categories such as diplomats, military, journalists, humanitarian workers, or legitimate businessmen may have their visa requirement waived by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
caption:   The United States and its territories   Visa free countries   Visa Waiver Program countries   Visa required for entry to the US
exif: {}