US Visa Waiver Program countries

Current participant list

The State Department lists Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom ¹.

British citizens qualify only if they have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in the United Kingdom territories named in the official note. Taiwan is treated under the statutory note on the State Department page ¹.

ESTA and stay limit

An approved ESTA is required before boarding for Visa Waiver Program travel by air or sea and for eligible land travel. The program covers tourism or business for 90 days or less ^1,2.

The live official ESTA portal displayed US$40.62 per application on 19 October 2026 ². CBP says an authorisation is normally valid for two years or until passport expiry, but special shorter validity applies to some passports ³.

Passport and eligibility restrictions

The traveller needs a passport meeting the VWP requirements. ESTA is permission to travel to a port of entry, not a visa and not a guarantee of admission ^1,4.

VWP restrictions apply to certain dual nationals and to travellers present in specified countries after statutory dates. The official page includes Cuba from 12 January 2021 and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from 1 March 2011, subject to limited exceptions ¹.

Trips to Canada, Mexico and nearby islands

A short side trip normally does not restart the 90-day clock. Readmission is for the remainder of the original admission period, so the total trip must fit within 90 days ¹.