NIV Waiver Program
Electronic System for Travel Authorization Launched for Visa Waiver Travelers Visiting United States
International visitors to the U.S. from Visa Waiver Program countries may now apply for travel authorization online. The tool is easy to use, free of charge and available in 16 languages.
Beginning August 1, 2008, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be accessible via Internet for citizens and eligible nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries to apply for advance authorization to travel to the United States under the VWP.
ESTA is easy to use and availeble in 16 languages. Effective January 12, 2009, all VWP travelers will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP.
How the Electronic System for Travel Authorization Works
Log onto the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov and complete an on-line application in English. Travelers are encouraged to apply early. The web-based system will prompt you to answer basic biographical and eligibility questions typically requested on a paper I-94W form. applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, however, DHS recommends that applications be submitted no less than 72 hours prior to travel. In most cases you will receive a response within seconds:
- Authorization Approved: Travel authorized.
- Travel Not Authorized: Traveler must obtain a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate before traveling to the U.S.
- Authorization Pending: Traveler will need to check the ESTA Web site for updates within 72 hours to receive a final response.
An approved travel authorization via ESTA is:
- Required for all VWP travelers prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP beginning January 12, 2009;
- Valid, unless revoked, for up to two years or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first;
- Valid for multiple entries into the U.S. As future trips are planned, or if an applicant’s destination addresses or itineraries change after their authorization has been approved, they may easily update that information through the ESTA Web site; and
- Not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry. ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the U.S. under the VWP. (For additional information, please visit "For International Visitors" at www.CBP.gov/travel.)
ESTA will enhance the security of the VWP and enable the United States to maintain and expand participation in the program. After January 12, 2009, VWP travelers who do not apply for and receive travel authorization via ESTA prior to travel may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing or be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry. The VWP is administered by DHS and enables citizens and eligible nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Additional information regarding the VWP and ESTA is available at www.cbp.gov/esta
Eligible Countries:
Countries currently enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program include:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, The Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The United Kingdom
We look forward to ensuring your travel remains safe and convenient today and in the future. THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
If you are an Icelandic citizen and hold a machine-readable passport, you generally do not require a visa to travel to the U.S. for holiday and business trips of 90 days or less.
Press here for the newest Press Release from Department of Homeland Security.
However, if you do not have a Machine Readable Passport, please see the new regulations which took effect October 26, 2004.
To take advantage of visa-free travel, you must have a valid machine-readable passport and a round-trip ticket, arrive in the U.S. aboard an approved carrier, such as Icelandair, and if you are travelling after January 12th, 2009.
You may also enter the United States overland from Canada and Mexico without a visa. Once you enter the United States, you may make side trips to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean islands and return without needing a visa.
NOTE:
Individuals who have been arrested, who have a communicable disease or who have immigration violations in the United States may not be eligible for visa-free travel. Those falling into these categories should apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik. Individuals who plan to work, attend school or stay more than 90 days in the United States, in addition to those who have been previously refused a visa or denied entry into the United States are also ineligible for visa-free travel and are advised to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik. For information on how to apply for a U.S. visa, please press here.
Icelandic passports issued on or after October 26, 2006, must contain biometric identifiers in order to qualify the bearer for visa-free travel on the Visa Waiver Program. more
CBP Departure Record
Form I-94 or Form I-94W
Whether you travel to the U.S. on the visa waiver or with a visa, it is important to ensure that your I-94 or I-94W card is removed from your passport prior to your departure from the United States. For more information click here.