VWP PARTNER COUNTRIES

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) was born out of the visa waiver program with partner countries in the USA. In this article, we take a look at the benefits of this program for eligible travelers, and the formalities involved in entering the United States.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM?

The Visa Waiver Program is managed by the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) and the Department of State(DoS) as part of the U.S. tourism and immigration regulations. It was under this program that theESTA travel authorization was created. This allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business purposes, without the need for a conventional visa. In return, these partner countries apply the same rules to US citizens.

Here is the list of countries participating in the WVP:

Germany Andorra Australia Austria Belgium Brunei Chile South Korea Croatia Denmark Spain Estonia Finland France

Greece Hungary Ireland Iceland Israel Italy Japan Netherlands Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta

Monaco Norway New Zealand Poland Portugal Czech Republic United Kingdom San Marino Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Taiwan

As part of the Visa Waiver Program, ESTA has the following missions:

1. Strengthen U.S. homeland and airport/port security by conducting an initial profile check of travelers before they board a plane or ship;
2. Facilitate access for travelers with exemplary profiles for tourism or business purposes;
3. Fund projects to promote tourism to the United States, thanks to the processing fees collected on each ESTA application.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM?

The Visa Waiver Program has become very popular with international travellers, as well as with governments wishing to develop tourism while facilitating trade and business to boost their economies. ESTA is such an effective formula that other countries like Canada have introduced a similar approach: ESTA Canada travel authorization, soon to be followed by Europe (2025).

The ESTA travel authorization allows :

• to travel to the United States without the need for a conventional visa;
• make substantial savings thanks to much lower application fees than a visa;
• save considerable time thanks to a paperless procedure that can be completed in just a few minutes, without having to go to the embassy;
• stay in the U.S. for up to 90 consecutive days;
• to undertake business-related activities, such as attending meetings or signing contracts with partners;
• make multiple trips using the same authorization, thanks to the ESTA’s two-year validity period.

If you are a national of one of the countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, congratulations! You can apply for ESTA.