The government of the U.S. decided to launch a new program known as the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in 2025. In this program individuals from 43 countries can visit the USA for tourism or business purposes without a Visa and can stay up to 90 days. The visitors should have an electronic passport and enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This program will allow individuals to visit the U.S. for tourism purposes so that they do not have to wait for their visa.
US Visa Waiver Program 2025
U.S. has introduced a new program that allows individuals belonging to the 43 participating countries to visit the USA Without Any Visa. This program will help so many people who travel for business purposes or any emergency. This program will help you to visit the country for vacation without a visa. Moreover, if you are willing to plan a business trip, or visit your friends, you can do all of that without a visa with the help of the Visa Waiver Program.
The applicants are required to be a part of the Electronic System to be eligible for VWP. You must have a valid passport, a valid email address, residence address and mobile number, email and mobile number of an emergency contact. If you are applying for the ESTA for the first time you can use your Credit Card to pay or you can use PayPal. The application process for ESTA is not very time-consuming and will only take 30 minutes.
Further, you will be charged a Processing and Authorization fee of $4 and $10 respectively. If your application gets rejected you will still be charged $4 for the processing fee. Additionally, if you are someone who has a Global Entry ID or a relative or contact residing in the U.S. have to mention their detail in the form.
US Visa Waiver Program 2025 Overview
| Article On | US Visa Waiver Program 2025 |
| Country | USA |
| Department | Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security |
| Eligibility | ESTA user |
| Program Name | Visa Waiver Program (VWP) |
| Category | Government Aid |
| Official Website | Travel.state.gov |
Eligibility of U.S. Visa Waiver Program
The individuals willing to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program must meet some eligibility criteria:
- The applicant must come from a country that is participating in this program.
- The individual must have a valid electronic passport.
- The applicant must be enrolling themselves in the ESTA and have their approval to be eligible.
- The individual applying for VWP must be traveling to the U.S. either for business or vacation purposes.
- The individual must not have an existing application for a visitor visa.
Application Process for Visa Waiver Program
Below mentioned are the steps to apply for the Visa Waiver Program:
Step 1: Enroll yourself with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to be eligible in the first place.
Step 2: Visit the official website of ESTA and locate the application form of ESTA.
Step 3: Provide your information such as passport, email address, residence address, mobile number, and contact for emergencies.
Step 4: Navigate through the USD 21 application fee and go ahead and pay for it either through a credit card or through PayPal.
Step 5: Recheck your application review all your information and submit the final form.
Important points to consider
If you are visiting the USA for travelling purposes or a business visit your trip can only be extended for 90 days. If you have a valid e-passport that has an electronic chip then only you can apply for ESTA. If you are not eligible for VWP and do not have the approval of ESTA then you have to apply for the normal visa. If you have visited certain countries and have citizenship in that particular country then you will not be eligible for VWP.
Benefits of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program
Before the VWP was introduced individuals who were willing to visit the USA had to apply for a visa and wait for several days before the approval. Sometimes due to some information, many visas were also cancelled due to which they were not able to travel for their important days as well. After VWP was introduced, it became easy for those people to complete their short visits. VWP eliminates the need for visa application which ultimately saves money and time for the individuals.
Another benefit of this program is that it helps to build stronger economic ties with other countries and promotes tourism for international travel. Further, it also helps to simply enter across borders, and the procedure becomes easier. Programs like this help to increase the growth of the economy and provide employment to people of the country through tourism.
US Visa Waiver Program 2025: FAQs
What to do if my ESTA is not approved?
If your ESTA is not approved then you have to apply for the normal visa and wait for its approval.
Can I apply for the ESTA again?
No, once your ESTA is rejected you cannot apply for the ESTA until you have a new name, gender, occupation, residence address, or a new identity in total.
What should I do if I want to extend my stay for more than 90 days?
You cannot extend your trip if you have arrived on VWP but you can visit again after leaving the country.
Mary Pashak is a financial journalist with 4 years of experience writing about finance and current news. She covers the latest market trends and important economic events. Working with MV News, Mary provides clear and easy-to-understand articles that help readers stay updated on financial topics. Her goal is to make complex financial news more accessible to everyone.