Visa waiver program oversight

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Cookie Policy. If you do not accept our cookies, the site may not work properly. I accept. I do not accept. Other Visa Categories. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country. Visitor Visa. Visa Waiver Program. Travel Without a Visa. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor B visa.

In addition, transiting through the United States to other countries is generally permitted for VWP travelers. ESTA is a web-based system operated by U. In most cases, your ESTA will be valid for two years. These individuals can apply for visas using regular appointment processes at a U. Embassy or Consulate. For those who require a visa for urgent travel to the United States, U.

Embassies and Consulates stand ready to handle applications on an expedited basis. If an individual who is exempt from the Act because of his or her diplomatic or military presence in one of the seven countries has his or her ESTA denied, he or she may go to the CBP website , or contact the CBP information Center. The traveler may also apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a U. Customs and Border Protection strongly recommends that any traveler to the United States check his or her ESTA status prior to making any travel reservations or travelling to the United States.

You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure from the United States unless exempted by country-specific agreements. In addition, you must have an e-passport to use the VWP. An e-passport is an enhanced secure passport with an embedded electronic chip. The chip can be scanned to match the identity of the traveler to the passport. You can readily identify an e-passport, by a symbol on the cover.

See the example below. More information about e-passports is available on the DHS website. If you use an emergency or temporary passport to enter the United States on the VWP, the passport must be an e-passport. Yes, you may apply for a visitor B visa, if you prefer to do so or if you are not elegible for VWP travel. Additionally, you need to apply for a visa if you will be traveling on a private aircraft or other non-VWP approved air or sea carrier.

Review the approved carriers list. Also, if you intend to stay longer than 90 days, then you need to apply for a visa. A recent visa refusal for any reason could result in denial of ESTA authorization, additional review at the port of entry, or denial of admission to the United States.

If you are uncertain if you qualify for VWP travel, you may apply for a visa. If you are admitted to the United States under the VWP, you may take a short trip to Canada, Mexico, or a nearby island and generally be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the remainder of the original 90 days granted upon your initial arrival in the United States.