United States Immigration Services
Online Guide to U.S. Visas, ESTA, Green Cards & More
United States Immigration Services is a major publisher of immigration guides and legal eBooks. Our do-it-yourself immigration guides are designed to assist immigrants in navigating the complicated United States immigration system. We strive to provide the best information about immigration to the United States.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of 40 countries to travel to the United States for a variety of reasons. Visitors traveling for tourism, business, or transit and staying for 90 days or less can enter the USA without having to apply for a regular visa. Instead, they will quickly apply and receive an electronic visa waiver known as ESTA.
Established in 1986 with the explicit aim to improve the relations between the USA and its allies in terms of freedom of movement, the Visa Waiver Program has, over three decades, eliminated unnecessary obstacles to travel, stimulated the tourist industry, and eased pressure on Consulates, enabling the US Department of States to focus resources on other areas.
Travelers eligible for the Visa Waiver Program can also apply for a traditional United States visa if they prefer and if they wish to stay in the United States for more than 90 days. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, has been a pre-departure requirement for all visa waiver travelers since January 12, 2009. Be sure to consult the Requirements page to understand all entry requirements to the US attached to the ESTA Visa Waiver Program. Eligibility depends on numerous factors – for example, people with a criminal past may be denied an ESTA and will have to apply via the traditional route through an Embassy or a Consulate of the United States in their home country.
An ESTA is not a visa in the traditional sense, but it is nonetheless an authorization to travel to the United States and ask for admission into its territory. However, all travelers must understand that an ESTA alone does not guarantee entry into the USA. The officer at the port of entry of your choice will always have the final say on whether you are allowed into United States territory.
If you wish to apply for ESTA, our website offers an easy and straightforward application form. Apply for ESTA US today and travel to America under the Visa Waiver Program for a more comfortable and easygoing travel experience.
Citizens of the countries that follow may enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program by applying swiftly online for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). If you are a resident but not a passport holder of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a B-1 Business Visa or a B-2 Tourist Visa to enter the United States.
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, now implemented by the Department of Homeland Security, was set up to pre-screen all travelers who intend to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Citizens of non-Visa Waiver Countries cannot enter the United States under this agreement and must instead apply for a traditional United States Visa for business, tourism, or other purposes.
Travelers to the United States are encouraged to register online as soon as possible – it’s not necessary to have purchased a ticket or booked a hotel in advance. Once a traveler has completed the registration, they will get an instant response indicating whether they are eligible to travel to the United States or not. Once having received a Travel Authorization, their ESTA will be valid for up to two years unless their passport expires earlier.
January 12, 2009: All travelers under the Visa Waiver Program must pre-register online before entering the United States via air or sea. Travelers without an accepted Travel Authorization will not be allowed to board any airplanes or sea carriers that are U.S. bound.
Any person eligible for ESTA under the Visa Waiver Program must present a machine-readable passport or an e-passport depending on the citizenship. If this person does not possess a machine-readable passport must, on the other hand, apply for a traditional visitor visa in advance prior to traveling to the United States.
The 40 Visa Waiver Program Member Countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
Visa Waiver Program Eligibility Requirements: Please note that not all citizens of Visa Waiver countries will be eligible to enter the United States via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. Some applicants might be required to apply for a B-1 Business Visa or a B-2 Business Visa under specific circumstances in order to enter the United States. Consult our homepage for additional information on whether you should apply for an ESTA or a United States Visa.
