Traveling for business can be an exciting part of the job. While it may not always be the fun adventure of a vacation, it can still be an opportunity to see different parts of the world.
One of the frustrations that come with international travel is coordinating the paperwork. Getting your passport and visa before you leave can be a long process.
Fortunately, there are limited circumstances when you may qualify for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
What are the limitations?
The VWP is not available in every circumstance. For your travel to fall under the VWP, you must:
- Be a citizen of one of the waiver countries (with a valid passport)
- Be traveling for 90 days or fewer
- Have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval
- Not have a visitor’s visa
- Plan to be in the United States for business or pleasure
The VWP can make the travel process for short trips simpler than going through the process of getting a visa.
Updating (or getting) your ESTA approval
ESTA adds an additional layer of security to the waiver program to make the travel process simpler in limited circumstances. Since you are not applying for a visa for long-term travel, getting ESTA approval is faster and less expensive.
ESTA approval is valid for Before you get started, make sure you have access to the following (if they apply to your situation):
- Any travel aliases
- Travel or national ID numbers, including Global Entry ID
- Employer’s address and other contact information
- S. point of contact information
Using the Visa Waiver Program with Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval can save you time when you are traveling to the United States from specific countries and for limited purposes.
