Visa Waiver Countries and the Visa Waiver Program
The United States Department of State oversees the Visa program for visitors to the U.S. Most citizens of other countries require a visa to enter the U.S. in addition to their valid and current passport. This is a typical requirement by most all nations as it ensures that visitors meet the standards set by that specific country, as each one is unique.
There is, however, a small list of countries which are considered visa waiver countries, and visitors from those do not have to utilize the visa process. Initially created in 1986, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) listed 35 countries which qualify for visa waiver.
The intention of this program was to remove barriers to tourists from countries deemed friendly to the U.S. and to encourage business travelers.
You can find out if your country is included in the list of 35 by starting at the web page created by the United States Department of State. The Department of State has a wide range of responsibilities and the web site is packed with information, but look for the "Visa" link to be taken to the right section.
The top of the visa page always has a notice of any recent updates, and as of this writing there were changes to the program in 2009 discussing the new electronic passports and how these affect visa waivers.
Also, the list of approved countries was been expanded to add 8 more nations. Some of these include the Republic of Korea, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The entire list is included on the Department of State's web site as mentioned so spend some time researching to find if your country is listed.
Even those 43 countries may run into restrictions if the person applying has certain issues that cause disqualification. Any type of criminal record is one of those disqualifications as are certain serious, contagious diseases. Such restrictions are intended to protect US citizens as a whole as well as to safeguard the public health.
Be sure to read all the information posted on the visa section of the United States Department of State web page. The data is always kept current and will help answer any additional questions you may have regarding visa waivers.
