The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of select countries to visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. The US government evaluates countries based on security and law enforcement standards to determine eligibility. Visitors must still meet certain requirements, such as having a valid passport and proof of travel and financial stability. As of 2010, 36 countries qualified, mainly from the EU, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
The Visa Waiver Program is an initiative created in 1986 by the United States to promote business and tourist travel from selected countries to the United States. This program allows citizens of select nations to visit for up to 90 days without requiring a visa, a legal authorization to enter a country. The US government allows only a small number of countries access to this waiver based on economic and social factors.
By creating the Visa Waiver Program, the United States aimed to make it easier for citizens of nations who have determined they qualify for the program to visit. In the past, citizens intending to visit had to apply for a visa in order to visit for a certain amount of time. These documents limited the travel and length of a visit for most people and were often difficult to obtain. The Visa Waiver Program eliminates many of the complications and simply acts as a way to ensure that the traveler does not pose a security threat. This allows foreign tourists and businessmen to spend up to 90 days in the country without applying for a visa.
As of 2010, there were 36 countries that met the requirements for the Visa Waiver Program. These consist mainly of members of the European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea and a few other nations. The United States is constantly evaluating nations for admission to the program and has accepted new members such as Greece and Bulgaria. No country in Africa or South America was a member of this program as of 2010.
To qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, a country must meet a number of requirements that the US government has created. In order to provide citizens with this visa waiver, the country must meet security and law enforcement standards. Additionally, countries are expected to share national security data with the United States, presumably to keep citizens of both countries safer. The US government also points out that successfully meeting all of these requirements does not necessarily guarantee a country’s entry into the program.
Individuals from eligible countries are not automatically granted entry and must still meet certain requirements, such as providing a valid passport, before entering the United States. Additionally, visitors must provide proof of air or sea travel on an approved carrier. Finally, the individual must provide proof of being able to maintain himself in the United States for the duration of the visit.
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