20 Aug 10:26

Travelers wanting to enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must first receive authorisation by applying for ESTA online at the official ESTA application website. United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a division of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), manages and operates the official ESTA application website.

TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES?

Do You Have U.S. ESTA VISA Travel Authorization? If You Have ESTA Application, Check if it is Still Valid!

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The organizations of the United States’ federal government. It was formed in November 2002 to safeguard the United States from dangers such as terrorist strikes and natural catastrophes.

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

It is one of the major federal government agencies in the United States, reporting to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its responsibilities include protecting the United States from illegal or harmful actions, including as clamping down on drug smuggling, combatting terrorism, and preventing human trafficking and agricultural pest incursion. Because of its function as a centralized government body in charge of affairs pertaining to US national borders and ports, the majority of its 52,000 staff employees are allocated to airports, ports, border checkpoints, and border areas. The Department was formed in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, by combining related agencies (customs, border control, and plant and animal quarantine stations) that had previously been split among multiple departments such as the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and Agriculture. It also monitors and administers the official ESTA website.

Countries whose citizens are eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

1. Germany
2. France
3. Finland
4. Estonia
5. Denmark
6. Czech Republic
7. San Marino
8. Singapore
9. Slovakia
10. Slovenia
11. Sweden
12. Chile
13. Brunei
14. Belgium
15. Austria
16. Australia
17. Andorra
18. Netherlands
19. New Zealand
20. Norway
21. Portugal
22. Japan
23. Taiwan
24. South Korea
25. Switzerland
26. Spain
27. Ireland
28. Iceland
29. Italy
30. Monaco
31. Malta
32. Hungary
33. Greece
34. Latvia
35. Lithuania
36. Lichtenstein
37. Luxembourg
38. United Kingdom
39. Poland

Note: Subjects of the United Kingdom eligible to use the Visa Waiver Program are limited to those with permanent residency of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Mann, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales.

Conditions of those eligible for the Visa Waiver Program(VWP)

1. Must have used the Electronic System for Travel authorisation (ESTA) to apply for and acquire authorisation.
2. The duration of stay in the United States cannot exceed 90 days.
3. Must have a passport (with an IC chip) from one of the countries listed above that participate in the Visa Waiver Program.
4. The purpose of the travel to the United States must be one of the following: sightseeing, business, training, contractual discussions, visiting acquaintances, participation in events without pay, transit, and passage.
5. If entering the United States by boat or air, you must have a ticket to your next destination or a return ticket.
   Carry a copy of your trip itinerary if you are using e-tickets.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Applying using the official ESTA application website

Enter your application details and trip information in single-byte alphanumeric characters on the official ESTA application page. Then, respond to the appropriateness questions and pay the $21 application cost by credit or debit card (MasterCard, Visa, JCB, American Express). Payment for applications can be made in groups of 50 at a time. Furthermore, the information of the official ESTA application website is available in a variety of languages other than English. Select your language from the drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the site. Any enquiries made through the official website, however, must be in English.

TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES?

Do You Have U.S. ESTA VISA Travel Authorization? If You Have ESTA Application, Check if it is Still Valid!