US ESTA Visa Waiver: 42 Countries That Can Enter America Without a Visa

• The US government has published guidance on the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation
• European nations dominate the list of qualifying countries, with 33 entries, while no African country has been included in the programme
• Even passport holders from qualifying nations can be disqualified if they hold dual citizenship or have travelled to specific restricted countries

The United States government has published updated guidelines for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), a digital travel clearance programme that permits citizens of 42 countries to enter the US for up to 90 days without obtaining a standard visitor visa.

The ESTA operates under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which covers visits for tourism, business and transit purposes.

The US government states that the online application takes an average of 23 minutes to complete, making it considerably less burdensome than the traditional B1/B2 visa process, which requires an in-person appointment at a US consulate or embassy.

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To be eligible, applicants must hold a valid e-passport that complies with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and contains an embedded electronic chip.

The passport must also retain at least six months of validity beyond the traveller's planned departure date from the United States. Approval must be secured before boarding any carrier bound for the US.

The 42 participating nations span Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas and the Middle East. European countries account for the largest share, with 33 nations on the list, among them the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

The Asia-Pacific group includes Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and New Zealand. Chile is the only country from the Americas to qualify, while Israel and Qatar represent the Middle East.

No African Country Makes the Cut

For travellers holding African passports, the updated guidance offers little encouragement. Not a single African nation is included in the Visa Waiver Program, meaning citizens of South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and every other African country must complete the full consular visa application process to enter the United States.

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Even citizens of qualifying VWP countries are not guaranteed ESTA approval. Dual nationals who also hold citizenship in North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen are automatically disqualified from the programme.

The same restriction applies to anyone who has travelled to those countries on or after 1 March 2011, or to Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. Such individuals must pursue a traditional visa regardless of which primary passport they hold.

The updated guidance contains no indication of any planned expansion of the programme to new regions, including Africa.

Source: YEN.com.gh