Do You Know What Is The Visa Waiver Program (VWP)?

Recently we posted that Israelis can now apply for an ESTA to come to the U.S. without needing a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), but Israel is NOT the only country part of the VWP!

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) permits citizens or nationals of certain countries to travel to the U.S. for business or pleasure for stays up to 90 days, without obtaining a visa.  Travelers must apply online for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization, known as ESTA, at least 72 hours prior to travel.

What countries are included in the VWP?  A total of 41 countries are included in the program, including Australia, Chile, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain.  (List of all Visa Waiver countries here https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html ).  If you are a citizen or national of one of these countries, you most likely do not need a visa to come to the U.S. for business or pleasure and stay for up to 90 days!

What will you need to apply for an ESTA?

• Go to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
• Have a valid passport from a VWP country;
• Have a valid email;
• Inform your home address, phone number, and an emergency point of contact;
• Pay an USD 21.00 fee for the application;
• You may also need to fill out additional information such as your employer's address and phone number, and a U.S. point of contact.

For how long will my ESTA be valid?  In general, ESTA is valid for 2 years, but you will need to update your ESTA before expires if you (1) receive a new passport; (2) change your name; (3) change your gender; (4) change your country of citizenship; or (5) need to change your responses on the ESTA application.