The fact that Americans love to welcome tourists to their country is well evidenced by their Visa Waiver Program, implemented by the Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America.

What Countries Don’t Need Visit Visa to USA

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the US for purposes of business and tourism and reside for up to 90 days in the nation, without the need to apply for a visa. These countries include:

1. Andorra 
2. Australia 
3. Austria 
4. Belgium 
5. Brunei 
6. Chile 
7. Czech Republic 
8. Denmark 
9. Estonia 
10. Finland 
11. France 
12. Germany 
13. Greece 
14. Hungary 
15. Iceland 
16. Ireland 
17. Italy 
18. Japan 
19. Korea
20. Latvia 
21. Liechtenstein 
22. Lithuania 
23. Luxembourg 
24. Malta 
25. Monaco 
26. Netherlands 
27. New Zealand 
28. Norway 
29. Portugal 
30. San Marino 
31. Singapore 
32. Slovakia 
33. Slovenia 
34. Spain 
35. Sweden 
36. Switzerland 
37. Taiwan 
38. United Kingdom

These 38 countries also permit US nationals to visit them for up to 90 days without a visa, for the purposes of tourism and business.

Why the Visa Waiver Program?

The main reason for the VWP is economic benefits. In 2014, about 20 million travelers set foot on American soil under the VWP and invested a massive $84 billion on goods and services.

Apart from this, securing the borders of the US is one of the key factors for introducing the Visa Waiver Program. All countries under the VWP share agreements with the United States regarding information on known terrorists, criminals and passports that have been lost or stolen, etc.

Electronic System for Travel Authorization

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) determines the eligibility of an individual to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. This application collects biographic information and the answers to the eligibility questions only. Authorization through the ESTA does not guarantee that an individual will be permitted entry into the US. This decision is taken by the US Customs and Border Protection officers.

Meanwhile, here are some of the best health insurance plans for visitors to USA.

How to Apply for the ESTA

The application procedure starts with filling up the ESTA Application Form. You are eligible to apply if you have a valid passport and possess an onward journey or return ticket.

Documents Required to Travel Under the VWP

The following documents need to be produced at the port of entry in the US for visa free entry:

1. An electronic passport, containing a digital chip with the biometric and biographic information about the passport owner. It must also have a machine readable area on the biographic page.
2. If you do not possess an electronic passport, a digital photograph must be printed on your passport. If not, you will have to obtain a visa before travelling to the US. 

If you have any questions regarding your passport or eligibility, you can always contact the nearest US embassy in your home country.

In case your trip involves engaging in business activity, visiting relatives/friends or getting medical treatment, you will need a B category visa. B visas are non-immigrant, temporary visas that are broadly classified into the B1 and B2 types. 

Both B1 and B2 are the most commonly applied for visas. Here’s how they differ in terms of permitted activities.

B1 Visitor Visa

Also known as the Business Visitor Visa, the B1 visa is applicable for people who wish to enter the US on a temporary basis to conduct any business-related activities. Some activities that qualify as business purposes include:

• To sign or negotiate contracts
• To buy business supplies or parts
• To take an exam that can only be written in the United States
• To offer professional services
• To take part in a business meeting, exposition, or convention
• To settle an estate or manage assets
• To conduct independent research
• To participate in a non-professional sports event

In case any of these activities are expected to last beyond 6 months, you should apply for a visa that permits a longer stay. Alternatively, you can also file for visa extension with the USCIS. However, make sure you are able to prove that initially the trip was not intended to last more than 6 months. 

Any form of misrepresentation or attempt to commit fraud is not taken lightly and will lead to rejection of the visa extension. You may also face difficulties in obtaining a visa for future trips.

B2 Visitor Visa

For people visiting the US to engage in leisure activities, meet loved ones or due to medical purposes, the B2 visa is applicable. Some activities that are permitted under a B2 visa are:

• Visiting family or friends in the US
• Taking part in recreational classes or retreats
• Getting medical treatment
• Visiting famous tourist attractions
• Attending a college or family reunion 
• Attending a wedding or any other ceremony

Difference between B1 and B2

As in the case of B1 visa, if you feel you may need to stay beyond the date for which the visa is issued, file for the extension before your current visa expires. If you fail to do so, your stay will be considered unauthorized and will lead to serious consequences. These include deportation and a ban on future entry (up to 3 years) into the US.

Most often, the B category visas are combined and issued as a B-1/B-2 visa. This allows travellers to visit any place in the US before, during or after their business project/activity.

Although the B1 and B2 visas vary in terms of the nature of the trip, the application process for both is the same. You need to fill the DS-160 form with the relevant information and pay the $160 fee online or as cash at a bank. You can then schedule the biometric and visa interview appointments.

The documents required for the interview will depend on whether your trip is for leisure, medical purposes, or business activities.

If you too wish to visit the “Land of Dreams,” you will first need to get your passport stamped with a US visas. There are two types of US visas, Immigrant Visa (IV) and Non-immigrant Visa (NIV). The latter is further divided into 185 sub-categories, like B1, B2, H-1B, H-2B and so on. The type of visa you should apply for is determined by the purpose of your visit to the country.

Entry Visa vs Tourist Visa

Let’s look at the differences.

What is Tourist Visa

This type of visa usually falls under the B-2 category. The B-2 tourist visa is a non-immigrant visa, issued to a citizen of another country who wishes to enter the US for a temporary visit.

What do you need a B-2 visa for:

• For a vacation
• To tour cities for leisure purposes, such as visiting Disneyland, the White House, the Grand Canyon, etc.
• To see your family
• For medical treatments
• For short study courses, such as cooking classes
• To participate in contests and social events organized by various organizations.

With a B-2 visa, you are not allowed to the followin:

• Paid performances in an event
• Seeking in any kind of employment. In fact, you are not allowed to pursue any activity that will give you remuneration.
• Full-time study
• Buy a permanent residence in the country

B-2 visa processing time

It could take a few weeks to a few months to process the visa application. It all depends on the workload at that time at the USA embassy or consulate where you’ve applied for the visitor visa.

B-2 visa duration

The maximum duration of stay permitted with a B2 visa is 180 days (6 months). However, you can extend your visa, if you need to stay longer. The extension period permitted is up to an additional 6 months.

What is an Entry Visa

The entry visa is an immigrant visa, with categories such as E-1, E-2, E-3, K-1, K-3, IR1, CR1, etc. This type of visa allows you to stay in the USA indefinitely. Individuals who are willing to work or live in America for the long term are identified as immigrants and need to apply for an entry visa or immigrant visa. People seeking permanent immigration to the USA are usually backed by an employer or a family member.

The first step is to appear for an interview for the immigrant visa, which is valid only for 6 months. You must enter the USA within this duration through a legal port of entry. Since it is a single-entry visa, you become a resident of the country on entry.

At the port of entry, your visa, passport, medical report and other documents will be checked. If the immigration officer finds anything suspicious or inaccurate in your documents, he could deny you entry into the country, or even worse, ban you from entering the USA for five years.

After successful completion of formalities, you get a conditional permanent residence card, valid for 2 years, which is as good as a Green Card. To get the permanent residence card or Green Card, you will need to file a petition to remove the conditional residency at least 90 days before the card’s expiry date.

Remember, the card cannot be renewed. In case you fail to get the conditions removed, you will lose your permanent resident status.

What is the Visa Waiver Program?

The Visa Waiver Program or VWP allows citizens of 38 countries to visit the US for business and tourist purposes for up to 90 days, without the need for a visa. People belonging to these nations require a valid passport and an ESTA, which can be obtained even on short notice. You can check if your country falls under the US Visa Waiver Program on this website.

What is an ESTA?

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an online application system, established by the US government, to check the traveller’s details before they enter the borders of America under the VWP. In effect since January 12, 2009, any individual who wishes to enter the US under the VWP must have an ESTA. For more details about the eligibility and process for applying for an ESTA, visit the ESTA site.

If you are a citizen of one of the 38 countries that fall under the VWP, you also need a valid visa to enter the United States. The eligibility criteria and process for applying for different kinds of US visas might vary.

Applying for a US Visa

If you do not belong to one of the countries exempt from visas under the VWP, you will need to follow some simple steps to obtain a US visa from the American embassy or consulate in your country. You may choose to fill the application form online or visit the US embassy for the same.

Step 1: Fill the application form

This step includes filling the non-immigrant visa electronic application or Form DS-160. You need to fill in details such as name, country, identification number, etc. Once you have filled and submitted the form, you will receive a confirmation number. Make sure you keep this number safe.

Step 2: Pay the visa fees

The next step is paying the visa application fees. You can use a credit or debit card for this. After you have successfully paid the fees, you will get a payment receipt, which is crucial for scheduling your visa interview.

Step 3: Schedule the appointments

You will have to schedule two appointments, one at the Visa Application Center (VAC) and the other at the US embassy. The former is to provide your biometric readings. To book your appointment at the US embassy for the visa interview, you will need to provide details such as your passport number, payment receipt number and DS-160 confirmation number.

Step 4: Submit the required documents

At the VAC, you need to submit all the required documents, including payment receipt, DS-160 confirmation page, supporting documents and biometrics.

Step 5: Go for the visa interview

The last step is attending a visa interview, where you will be asked basic questions, such as the purpose of your visit, when do you plan to return to your home country, etc.

Remember, you are not allowed to any join educational programs or work if you are travelling on a tourist visa to the US. You can apply for a different visa category if you intend to do so.

Some of the countries that are part of this Visa Waiver Program are Hungary, Australia, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and many more. You can see the list of other countries on the official website of the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.

However, under this program, you are not allowed to extend the period of stay beyond 90 days. And, to travel to America under the VWP, you need to have an Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA prior to boarding a US-bound carrier. For this, you must have a valid e-passport. And, you need a valid e-passport for each individual travelling to the US with you. For more details on the ESTA, you can check the US ESTA site.

In addition, if you are able to show proof of an urgent situation, such as a dying relative or friend, you might get permission to travel to the US without a visa for a limited period of time on humanitarian grounds. It is advisable to only state genuine reasons to get permission to travel to America without a visa. If you are found to have falsified information, the consequences could be severe.

Eligibility Criteria for a Syrian Visa

• You must have a valid US passport.
• You must obtain a valid visa.
• If you wish to stay for more than 15 days, you need to register with the Syrian immigration authorities.
• You must be of good health and must not have HIV/AIDS at the time of entering Syria.
• Foreigners coming from countries affected by yellow fever must provide a vaccination certificate against the disease.

Other important things to know before visiting Syria include a departure tax charged at Syrian land and sea borders for all the tourists, except those who are visiting on diplomatic passports and children under the age of 11 years. Moreover, the Syrian government highly restricts foreigners who have traveled to Israel earlier. Foreigners who are suspected of having traveled to Israel before coming to Syria have been detained and interrogated in the past.

US males holding dual Syrian citizenship may be subject to serving in the Syrian military compulsorily, unless they have temporary exemption from the Syrian embassy, prior to their entering Syria. If you are planning to study Arabic at a private institution in Syria, you might not get a visa for that.

The Taiwanese authorities can restrict your entry if you not have appropriate documents to enter and travel in Taiwan.

Visa Requirements for US Citizens

• You need a valid passport to visit Taiwan for less than 90 days.
• You need a valid passport and visa to visit Taiwan for more than 90 days.
• You must be in good health and be vaccinated against Hepatitis A.

Taiwan has lifted its restrictions on visitors with HIV/AIDS. However, if you are applying for a resident visa, you need submit a medical certificate. All arriving visitors are subjected to body temperature scanning with thermal apparatus, for detection and prevention of disease spread.

Remember, males with dual Taiwan citizenship between the ages of 18 and 36 years are subject to serving in the Taiwanese military. So, before visiting Taiwan, make sure you check your status with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington.

Interestingly, Taiwan puts no restrictions on LGBT visitors, unlike some countries. For more details on customs and regulations for traveling to Taiwan, visit this website.