FAQ
Visa waiver means that there is no requirement for a visa for citizens of certain
countries. The visa waiver program was established to simplify traveling to the US
for travelers from low-risk countries, when they are traveling for tourism,
business, medical or transit purposes. Instead of applying for a visa, which takes
weeks or months, an ESTA can be used which usually takes less than a day to get
processed.
When an ESTA is issued under the visa waiver program, it will be valid for two years
or until the passport it is linked to expires (whichever date is the soonest). In
the two years of validity, the ESTA can be used for multiple visits to the US.
No, the visa waiver program does not provide authorization to work in the US. The
ESTA is only applicable to visits to the US that are for tourism, business, medical
or transit purposes. If you are intending on working in the US, you would require a
work visa.
The restrictions for traveling to the US with an ESTA under the VWP are that you
must not stay in the US for a period longer than 90 days. If your ESTA or passport
expires, you will need to apply for a new ESTA, you cannot extend the length of an
existing ESTA.
The visa waiver program can be used over and over again, as many times as is
required. As long as you do not overstay the 90 day limit. You can travel to the US
using the same ESTA as long as it is valid and when it runs out, you can apply for a
new one as many times as you want to travel to the US.
You should not overstay the 90 days allowed under the visa waiver, as this can
affect any future applications for visiting the US with an ESTA or visa. Whether you
are prosecuted will depend on how long you overstay and whether there are any
mitigating factors that have resulted in overstaying that were out of your control,
such as an illness or injury.
Yes, it is possible to get married in the US if you are visiting under the visa
waiver program. You would need to provide the required ID to apply for a marriage
license in the US and the marriage may not be recognized in your home country.
US entry waivers are issued for periods of between six months to five years, it will
depend on how long your specific waiver has been issued for. Obtaining a US entry
waiver is usually a complex legal process and it is not easy to get one.
The main requirements for VWP are that you are a citizen of one of the VWP countries
listed and also your purpose for travel must be business, tourism, medical or
transit and the visit is for less than 90 days. You must also have a valid,
biometric passport that your ESTA will be digitally linked to.
A US entry waiver is required for Canadian citizens with a criminal record to enter
the US, otherwise travel will not be allowed. You would need to complete an I-192
form and you need to supply fingerprints. If you require a visa waiver and do not
have criminal convictions, you can use a service such as estaform.org to speed up
the application.
To qualify for the US visa waiver you must be a citizen of one the listed VWP
countries. Your purpose for travel to the US must be for business, tourism, transit
or medical and you may only visit for a period of up to 90 days. You require a valid
biometric passport in order to process an ESTA.
You can apply for a US visa waiver by using the online form at estaform.org. You
will need to complete all of the required information and pay an application fee
using an electronic payment card. You will then receive a response to your email
address that you provide in the application.