US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Adds More Eligible Countries

The United States declared plans to extend the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) starting November 17, 2008. Citizens and nationals from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia will be able to travel to the joined-together States beneath the VWP given they have an e-passport and an endorsed pre-travel authorization through ESTA. Citizens or nationals of affirmed VWP nations are qualified to travel to the joined-together States for up to 90 days for trade or tourism.

What is the US Visa Waiver Program VWP?

The United States Visa Waiver Program licenses citizens from a few states to visit the United States without a visa for up to three months. It was particularly planned as a quick and helpful way to travel this way and wander to the US for a brief trade trip or tourism.

The DHS also reported that starting January 12, 2009, qualified citizens or nationals from all past VWP nations must get earlier endorsement through ESTA before traveling to the United States without a visa under the VWP.

Requirements

First, the meet waiver expansion is accessible to two broad categories of nonimmigrants applying for H-1 (people in strength occupations), H-3 (learners or uncommon instruction guests), H-4 (dependents of the earlier categories), L (intracompany transferees), O (people with uncommon capacity or accomplishment), P (competitors, specialists, and performers), and Q (members in universal social trade programs) visas that meet certain criteria:3

Candidates Already Issued Any Visa. These nonimmigrant candidates may have their visa deferred on the off chance that they:

• apply in their nation of nationality or residence;
• have never been denied a visa unless the refusal was overcome or postponed, and
• need apparent and potential ineligibility to get a visa.

First-Time Candidates. These nonimmigrant candidates may have their visa deferred in case they:

• apply in their nation of nationality or residence;
• are citizens or nationals of a nation that takes an interest in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP);
• have already traveled to the Joined together States beneath the VWP utilizing the Electronic Framework for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and
• need to be clear about potential ineligibility to get a visa.
• Second, the capacity for consular officers to postpone interviews for brief rural and non-agricultural laborers (H-2 visas), understudies (F and M visas), and trade understudies (scholarly J visas) will also stay through December 31, 2022. The current approach for place-specific visa candidates has been corrected to require that they have already voyaged together, Utilizing ESTA to qualify for the meet waiver. Besides, these people must apply for a visa in their home country or nationality. Hence, people going by a government (in which they don’t keep up nationality or home) and applying for a US visa in that nation will not be qualified for a visa meet waiver.

Thirdly, candidates recharging any visa sort that has lapsed in the earlier 48 months will proceed to qualify for a meet waiver. Consular specialists to carry out this approach have been expanded indefinitely.

Nations are Allowed to Visit the VWP

Qatar has been the foremost later expansion to this list, and in this way, presently, the VWP comprises 42 parts of the nation. Here’s the complete upgraded list:

• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brunei
• Chile
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Korea, Republic of
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar (New addition)
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom

How Does the VWP Work?

Foreign travelers wishing to enter the United States beneath VWP must have an e-passport incorporating a microchip. They total an ESTA (Electronic Framework for Travel Authorization).

A token charge is paid, and the general handle ordinarily takes 3 days, counting the working ends of the week. Once endorsed, travelers can visit the US without a visa beneath the course of action made beneath the VWP.

Important Notes:

• 90 Days Max: Remaining within the US is restricted to 90 days.
• Tourism or Trade, as it were: The VWP is for brief visits; one is permitted to require work only during one’s time within the country.
• Return Ticket: A return ticket or a forward travel record is required.

Why Qatar’s Consideration Matters

This upgrade also jams the connection between the United States and Qatar and encourages travel between the two locales. It moreover opens up possibilities for compelling commerce exercises and tourism for Qatari citizens. Well, readers from the 42 VWP nations, now is the time to begin arranging your trip to the United States!

It isn’t conceivable to stay in the US and get a modern US visa. The method to ask for a meet waiver shifts from post to post; however, it is by and large as follows:

• Submit DS-160 Form;
• Pay Machine Discernable Visa expense; and
• Request interview waiver through visa arrangement planning website:
• If the meet waiver is allowed, the post will issue a take note affirming the waiver. This notice must be printed and included within the visa application bundle submitted to the department or
• The candidate must plan a visa interview if the meet waiver isn’t allowed.

Sum Up

In a long-awaited exertion to address delays and accumulations that have emerged due to consular closures and constrained staffing over the final year-and-a-half, on December 23, the US Office of State declared that it is authorizing consular officers through the conclusion of 2024 to forgo the in-person interview/appointment prerequisite for specific temporary/nonimmigrant visa candidates. The modern direction applies to those applying for H-1, H-3, H-4, L, O, P, and Q visas who are applying for a visa in their nation of nationality or home. Beneath this new guidance, consular officers are allowed to forgo the necessity for people applying for these visa sorts who were already issued US visas.