The Visa Waiver Program is one of the most amazing things for passport holders of specific countries. In this article, let us talk about the Visa Waiver Program and what it can do to you.
What is the Visa Waiver Program?
The Visa Waiver Program is the program that enables most citizens or the nationals of the allowed countries to travel to the United State without a visa for 90 days or less.
The travelers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before their travels to the United States.
What are the countries included in the Visa Waiver Program?
The following are the countries included in the Visa Waiver Program:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
Does this mean that I only need to present my passport?
No, you need to be included in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The ESTA is a system that is handled by the Customs and Border Protection Office that aims to determine the eligibility to travel of those under the VWP for tourism or their business needs.
Is the Visa Waiver Program Absolute?
Not really. Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, travelers who are under the following categories are no longer eligible under the Visa Waiver Program:
- Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled to or been present in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country).
- Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria.
What does this mean?
This means that under the program, even if you are a national of a country that is under the VWP country, as long as you have traveled to the listed countries or are also nationals of the above countries, you are no longer eligible to travel visa-free to the United States.
Let us look at an example
The perfect example would be if you are a national of South Korea. Nationals of South Korea enjoy the privilege of the VWP. This means that if your favorite Korean boy band is visiting the United States for tourism or a small business feat, they do not need to apply for a visa.
But, if a South Korean national has traveled to North Korea before going to the United States, he would no longer be eligible for travel based on VWP. He or she would have to go through the same process as everyone else and apply for a visa.
I traveled to the listed countries, am I still eligible under the Visa Waiver Program?
The answer depends on several circumstances. In this matter, you should try your best to get a lawyer on the phone and consult with the right lawyer to help your case. You do not want to go through the whole process of traveling back and forth only to be rejected for a lack of a tourist visa, right?
In this regard, we are here to help.
Haque Legal is Here To Help
We have been around. We have handled hundreds of cases on immigration. We can help you get your visa and work your way around getting that citizenship that you deserve. Haque Legal is here and you can find that the best kind of experience for you is to hire our law firm.
Here at Haque Legal, we always have your back. Make sure that on your first free consultation we tell you everything that you need to know about your immigration case as well as the cost and the expenses that would be associated with it.
The consultation is free for the first time because we understand that you need to at least have that guidance coming from a reputable law firm and lawyer to assess your case. If you have concerns about your immigration and you need a lawyer to handle it you can always contact our law firm and we can talk about your situation and the best way that we can handle it, especially in terms of the expenses.
Let Haque Legal Help You With Your Case
If you require a lawyer who can assist you with ensuring that you protect your rights, it is important to know that you also have a team that can help you out with your specific needs.
Our law firm is dedicated to making sure that those who are innocent will be protected by the law and the full extent of justice will be used.
Disclaimer
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
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