Not all those who travel to the United States are required to obtain traditional visas in advance. Eligible passengers may travel to the United States through the United States** Visa Free Scheme (VWP)** for a maximum of 90 days.
Passengers who qualify for a visa exemption are usually required to apply for an ETA e-travel authorization in advance, and some may not qualify for a visa exemption even if they hold a national or regional passport.
Today you will be asked to sort out what needs to be taken into account in the United States visa waiver scheme, in the countries and territories to which it applies, and in the application of the ESA.
I. Which countries and territories may be exempted from entry to the United States?
The United States Visa Free Programme (VWP) allows eligible citizens to travel to the United States for travel or short-term business purposes, usually for a period not exceeding 90 days at a time.
According to lists published by the United States Department of State, as of October 2026, the following countries and territories were participating in the programme.
European region
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Asia-Pacific region
Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China.
Americas region
Chile.
Middle East region
Israel, Qatar.
Special note:** Canada does not belong to the United States VWP visa-free list. ** Canadian citizens usually travel to the United States under another set of entry requirements and cannot be confused with the VWP country. Citizens of Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia have different entry arrangements under the Free Association Agreement.
II. A waiver to travel to the United States also requires an advance request for an ESTA
The full English name of ESTATA is Electronic System for Travel Authority, the electronic travel authorization system.
It is not a visa in the traditional sense, but a pre-authorization mechanism for travel under the United States visa-free scheme. Eligible passengers are required to submit an application prior to departure and are authorized to travel to the United States by means of transport in accordance with the relevant provisions.
In applying, the following points need to be noted:
1. Must have an electronic passport that meets the requirements
The applicant is required to have an electronic passport that meets United States requirements. The eligibility for exemption is determined in combination with nationality, travel purposes and other conditions.
2. Recommendation for advance application
Don't wait a day or two before you leave. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advised passengers to apply for an ESTA when booking a trip and to do so at least 72 hours in advance.
3. Usually valid for up to two years after approval
ESTA is usually valid for up to two years from the date of approval or until the expiry of the passport, whichever occurs first. Many trips to the United States are generally possible during the period of validity, but the conditions for entry into the United States must be met in each case.
Note that: **ESTA is valid for two years and does not mean that it can stay for two years in the United States. ** VWP shall normally not exceed 90 days at a time. In the event of a change in passport, name or nationality information, a new application is usually required.
4. Approval of ESTAT does not amount to a guarantee of entry
Even if ESTA has been granted, the final entry into the United States will be determined by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the United States port.
III. These circumstances may not allow for the use of the waiver plan
Having a VWP national or regional passport does not mean that the conditions for exemption must be met.
Under the relevant United States regulations, traditional visas are usually required and cannot be used directly:
- ** Country-specific travel records: ** On and after 1 March 2011, to Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen.
- ** Cuban travel records:** Cuba travelled on and after 12 January 2021.
- **Specific case of dual nationality: ** also Cuban, Korean, Iranian, Iraqi, Sudanese or Syrian.
There are specific exceptions to the above provisions, such as eligible official diplomatic or military travel. Whether or not the exception is specifically applicable needs to be judged on the basis of individual circumstances.
It is recommended that, if a person has been to the above-mentioned country or region or has dual nationality, he/she should not be scheduled directly in accordance with the normal visa-free process, but should first verify that he/she still has VWP qualifications.
The non-conformity of the waiver plan does not mean that it is completely impossible to travel to the United States, but may require a corresponding United States visa for the purpose of travel.
IV. What are the costs of ESTA applications?
According to publicly available information available to the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP), the cost of the ESTA application is $40.27. Actual payments should be based on the amounts shown in the United States official application system.
V. Application for ESTA. We can help.
If you have a qualified passport, you can contact us if you are prepared to travel to the United States for travel, family visits or short-term business, but are not familiar with the ESA application process.
We're offering an ESTA application for the services of the Chargé d'affaires.Assistance in the verification of applications, preparation of guidance materials, filling in applications and following up on the status of applications will make the application process more prudent.
Both the first application and the ESTA are due to expire and need to be re-processed.
The results of the ESTATA application are based on an official review by the United States and the services of the Chargé d ' affaires do not guarantee approval or entry.
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(a) The Hong Kong SAR of China is free to sign and/or land on its passports to more than 170 countries and territories, and the bottom line is true;But only the United States has not exempted Hong Kong passports.We still have to prepare our visas.
The world is big, Hong Kong's passports are good, and only the United States has to “offset” this station.
Why don't the United States exempt Hong Kong, China?
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