Who needs a US visa

Start with your purpose, then your passport

US visas are organised by the reason for travel — visitor (B-1 business / B-2 tourism), student (F and M), exchange visitor (J), the many temporary-work categories, and the immigrant (green card) categories, among others. The first step is to identify the category that matches what you will actually do in the United States, because that determines both whether a visa-free option exists and, if not, which visa you apply for.

Your nationality then decides the route. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can use an ESTA for qualifying short visits; most other nationals apply for a visa; and citizens of Canada and Bermuda have their own visa-exempt arrangements described below.

The Visa Waiver Program and ESTA

• The VWP lets citizens and nationals of participating countries travel for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without a visa, provided they hold an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
• Apply for ESTA only at the official site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The application fee is $40.27 (the base authorisation charge rose from $21 to $40 under the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with the inflation-adjusted total effective 1 January 2026).
• ESTA covers tourism and business visits and transit; it does not cover study, paid work, journalism or long stays — those need the matching visa even for a VWP national.
• Certain factors can make someone ineligible for VWP (for example some past travel to designated countries, or a prior visa refusal or immigration problem). Anyone who does not qualify applies for a visa instead.

When a visa is required

If your nationality is not in the VWP, or your purpose falls outside what the VWP allows, you apply for a visa. Nonimmigrant (temporary) applicants generally complete the online DS-160 form and, in most cases, attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate; immigrant (permanent) applicants use the DS-260. The standard machine-readable visa (MRV) application fee is $185 for most nonimmigrant categories including B, F, M and J; $205 for the petition-based work categories (H, L, O, P, Q and R); and $315 for E treaty trader/investor visas. Some countries also pay a separate reciprocity or issuance fee.

These are the fees at the access date and they change — always check the current amount on the official fee page before paying.

Citizens of Canada and Bermuda

• Canada and Bermuda are not Visa Waiver Program countries; their citizens have their own visa-exempt arrangements and generally need neither a visa nor an ESTA for tourism, visits or temporary business.
• Some purposes still require a visa — for example foreign government officials (A), employees of international organisations (G) and NATO categories, and any activity that would need a visa for anyone (such as certain paid work).
• Canadian and Bermudian students generally do not need a visa but must present a valid Form I-20 (F/M) or DS-2019 (J) on arrival; the SEVIS I-901 fee still applies to students and exchange visitors.
• Document and border rules differ by nationality and mode of travel (air, land or sea), so Canadians and Bermudians should confirm the current CBP requirements before travelling.

A visa or ESTA is permission to travel, not a guaranteed entry

Whether you hold a visa or an approved ESTA, the final decision on admission is made by a CBP officer at the port of entry, who also records your authorised stay on the electronic I-94 arrival/departure record. Carry the documents your category requires, and never overstay the period you are admitted for.