The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is used for tourism and business and enables nationals of 37 countries to enter the United States for stays of under 90 days without a visa. These are individuals who otherwise would have been required to file an application for a B classification visa. The national that plans to travel taking advantage of this non-visa program can obtain information at the U.S. consular’s office and family members in the United States, who want to learn about this process, the Butte immigration lawyer, will answer any of their immigration lawyer questions.
The program was established to eliminate the difficulties with travel of short duration and to stimulate tourism. This program is not for everyone, as eligibility requirements must be met, in order to be permitted to enter the U.S. without a visa. The individual, who is permitted to travel without a visa to the U.S., can also apply for the B class visa, if they prefer to do so.
One requirement is to have valid authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the United States. The individual will be screened at the port of entry to the U.S. and will be enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s US-Visit program.
This visa waiver program was also established to free up time of the Department of state, for focusing consular resources in other areas. There are 37 countries, in which nationals are able to participate in the visa waiver program to visit the U.S. these include:
Australia, Austria, Andorra, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Singapore, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
Who is Permitted to Use This Program?
The individuals who are permitted to use this program will be from a participating country and meet the other requirements that allow them to travel to the United States without applying for a visa. This includes:
- The individual that has received authorization to travel through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
- The individual holds a passport that is valid for at least six months past their expected stay within the United States. This regulation is dependent on who is traveling, since diplomatic and officials have other rules for travel to the U.S.
- The purpose of their travel to the U.S. for 90 days or less. The individual should speak to officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to verify the reason for their travel falls into this type of category.
- If the individual plans to travel to the U.S. to study, they must apply for the appropriate visa or if they are a foreign media representative, this program is not possible to use and a visa must be obtained.
- The individual must show they plan to stay in the United States 90 days or less and prove they have sufficient funds to support themselves while in the country.
The person who qualifies for this type of travel and entry into the United States will also be able to travel to Canada or Mexico for a short duration and return to the U.S. and be readmitted, during their stay. The immigration lawyer Butte, will be able to answer questions this individual might have about their travel while in the country or questions their family who is either U.S. citizens or permanent residents might have about the Visa Waiver Program.