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It is impossible not to relate a trip to the United States with the visa. And is that for millions of people, this document can become the gateway to the North American nation or, in case of not having it, the main reason for not being able to enter. 

However, and despite the importance of this passport, which certifies a person's legal stay for a specific period of time and purpose, there is a large sector of the world population that does not require a visa to enter the United States. 

According to the same American authorities, all those belonging to the countries included in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP, by its initials in English), have the possibility of arriving and entering the North American nation, under other requirements such as the authorization of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA, by its initials in English). 

Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program? 

As indicated by the same program, there are currently 42 countries that belong to this program: 

  • Germany 

  • Andorra 

  • Australia 

  • Austria 

  • Belgium 

  • Brunei 

  • Chile 

  • South Korea 

  • Croatia 

  • Denmark 

  • Slovakia 

  • Slovenia 

  • Spain 

  • Estonia 

  • Finland 

  • France 

  • Greece 

  • Hungary 

  • Iceland 

  • Ireland 

  • Israel 

  • Italy 

  • Japan 

  • Latvia 

  • Lithuania 

  • Luxembourg 

  • Malta 

  • Monaco 

  • New Zealand 

  • Norway 

  • Netherlands 

  • Poland 

  • Portugal 

  • Qatar 

  • Czech Republic 

  • United Kingdom 

  • San Marino 

  • Singapore 

  • Sweden 

  • Switzerland 

  • Taiwan 

The VWP states that all people from these countries can enter the United States for tourism or business, with a maximum stay of 90 days, without the need for a visa. 

However, it is not enough to just present a passport certifying membership to one of these countries. The VWP also requires the issuance of the ESTA authorization. 

This type of passport has the particularity of incorporating a chip where various traveler's data such as name, date of birth, among others biographical data are stored. 

To process this passport, it is necessary to follow these steps: 

  • Have an e-Passport 

  • Complete an online form 

  • Pay 4 dollars for the process completion 

  • Pay, after approval, 17 dollars for the final authorization 

According to US authorities, this authorization is mandatory for all people who have applied since October 2006. Similarly, this type of passport must have a minimum validity of 6 months from the travel date. 

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence