Visa Waiver Program countries

Who can use the programme (participating countries)

The VWP is made up of a fixed roster of designated countries, and it currently spans the low forties in number. Membership is dominated by countries in Europe alongside a group of partners in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and elsewhere. Recent additions have included Croatia, Israel, Qatar and Romania, which shows the list is actively maintained rather than static.

Because countries are added (and can in principle be removed), the only authoritative, up-to-date roster is the State Department's Visa Waiver Program page. Check it directly before you rely on your nationality being covered.

• Coverage includes most of Western and Central Europe, the UK and Ireland, and Nordic and Baltic states
• It also includes several Asia-Pacific partners such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei and Taiwan
• Other members include Chile, Israel, Qatar, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein and Iceland
• The exact count and full list are maintained by the State Department and can change; verify it on travel.state.gov

The e-passport requirement

To travel under the VWP you must hold an electronic passport (e-passport). An e-passport is a secure travel document with an embedded electronic chip that stores the holder's biographic and biometric data, marked by a small camera-style symbol on the front cover.

This has been a firm requirement for all VWP travellers since 1 April 2016. A passport that is not chip-enabled cannot be used under the programme even if you are a citizen of a participating country. If your passport is not an e-passport, you would need to obtain one or apply for a standard visa instead.

ESTA: applying and what it costs

Every VWP traveller must have an approved ESTA tied to the passport they will travel on. Apply well ahead of travel; while many applications are approved quickly, processing is not guaranteed to be instant, so CBP advises applying as soon as you begin trip planning. An approved ESTA is generally valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and covers multiple trips within that window.

The ESTA fee is $40.27. The base component rose from $21 to $40 on 30 September 2025 under the legislation commonly called the One Big Beautiful Bill, with the $40.27 amount reflecting an inflation adjustment effective 1 January 2026. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the official site. Critically, apply and pay ONLY through the official government site at esta.cbp.dhs.gov — many lookalike third-party sites charge extra for the same free-to-file service.

• One approved ESTA is required per traveller, matched to the passport used
• Typical validity: two years, or until passport expiry if sooner
• Fee: $40.27 (subject to change) — confirm the current figure on the official site
• Apply and pay only at esta.cbp.dhs.gov; avoid third-party charge-adding sites

The 90-day limit and permitted activities

The VWP allows a maximum stay of 90 days per admission for tourism, permitted business (such as meetings, conferences or negotiations), or transit. The 90 days cannot be extended, and you generally cannot change to another status while in the US on the programme.

The activities allowed mirror the B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visa categories. You cannot use the VWP to work for a US employer, study for credit, or take up permanent residence. If your visit needs more than 90 days, or involves work or study, apply for the appropriate visa rather than travelling visa-free.

Conditions and exceptions to watch

Even nationals of participating countries can be barred from using the VWP in certain situations and must instead apply for a visa. This includes people who have previously been refused a US visa or denied entry, those with certain criminal or immigration histories, and — under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act — travellers who have been present in specified countries (such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and North Korea) on or after set dates, or who hold dual nationality with certain of those countries.

An approved ESTA is permission to travel to a port of entry, not a guarantee of admission; the CBP officer decides at the border. If you are ineligible for the VWP for any reason, the standard route is a visitor visa applied for with the DS-160 form through a US embassy or consulate.