Visas
The Visa Waiver Program
Traveling to the U.S. Without a Visa
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows Belgian citizens (and citizens of designated countries: for a complete list click here) to apply for admission to the United States as visitors (traveling for holiday and/or business, in transit) without first obtaining a non-immigrant business/tourist visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
To apply for admission into the United States under the Visa Waiver Program the traveler must meet each of the following conditions:
- Log onto the ESTA website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov to obtain an electronic ESTA travel authorization:
ESTA is a fully-automated, internet-based electronic system for screening Visa Waiver Program (VWP) passengers before they begin travel to the United States. Citizens and eligible nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries must apply for advance authorization to travel to the United States without a visa.
Since January 12, 2009, ESTA is mandatory for all VWP countries and travelers without a visa are required to obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to/through the U.S. For detailed information regarding ESTA, please click here. - Have a valid machine-readable passport issued by the participating country and be a citizen (not only a resident) of that country. The passport must be valid for at least the duration of the stay in the U.S. Please note that children, even infants need their own, individual machine-readable passport in order to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
A. Machine-readable passports issued or extended before October 26, 2005 are valid for travel under the VWP.
B. If the machine-readable passport is issued or extended between October 26, 2005 and October 26, 2006, it must have a digital photograph or an integrated computer chip. If the machine-readable passport does not have a digital photograph, a U.S. visa must be applied for. However, machine-readable passports without digital photos, issued or extended before October 26, 2005 will continue to be valid for travel to the United States.
C. Machine-readable passports, issued or extended on or after October 26, 2006, require an integrated chip.
IMPORTANT: emergency or temporary passports:
Effective 01 July 2009, all emergency or temporary passports must be biometric (contain a chip) to be eligible for travel to the U.S. under the VWP.
Holders of Austrian, Italian, French passports and German temporary passports :
• Austria : Austrian passports issued since October 26, 2005, containing an inserted page with a digital photo of the passport holder, are valid for VWP travel; passports issued since October 26, 2005 without such inserted page require a visa for travel to the U.S.
• Italy : Depending on which district office issued them, some Italian passports issued since October 26, 2005 include digital photos and are valid for VWP travel; passports issued since that date that do not include the digital photo require a visa for travel to the U.S.
• France : French passports, issued after October 25, 2005 and before the start of the production of passports with a digital photo (and chip) are NOT valid for VWP travel. French passports without a digital photo require a visa for travel to the U.S.
• Germany : Since May 1, 2006, German temporary/emergency passports are no longer valid for travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program; holders of German temporary or emergency passports, who intend to travel to or through the United States must either obtain a regular German passport for VWP travel or apply for a visa to travel to the U.S.
• the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Republic of Korea, the Slovak Republic and Malta : Nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Republic of Korea, the Slovak Republic and Malta who wish to travel to the U.S. without a visa for tourist and business travel of 90 days or less OR who transit through the U.S. without a visa, need a biometric passport (containing a chip). For more detailed information, please check the website of the U.S. embassy in the country of your nationality. - Be seeking entry for 90 days or less.
- The purpose of the trip is holiday, business, or transit.
- If entering by air or sea, have a round-trip or onward transportation ticket issued by a carrier that has signed an agreement to participate in this program with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and arrive in the United States on such a carrier. Currently, most major transportation companies are participating in this program.
Travelers with onward tickets terminating in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be residents of these areas.
If entering overland from Canada or Mexico, no onward ticket is required, but you should be prepared to show proof at the border that you can pay for your stay in the U.S. and that you have a domicile outside of the U.S. to which you intend to return. - Have proof of financial solvency (credit cards, traveler checks, etc.)
- Complete form I-94W (Departure Record). This form is supplied by the transportation carriers once you are on board.
Visitors applying for entry under the visa waiver program are allowed to remain in the United States for a period of ninety (90) days. This period cannot be extended. Visitors cannot change their status while in the United States.
Travelers entering initially under the visa waiver program may make side trips to countries adjacent to the United States (including the Caribbean islands) and reenter the United States by any means of transport, provided that the total stay in the region is not longer than 90 days.
Visitors for business or tourism cannot work or study in the United States.
Exceptions to the Visa Waiver Program:
A visa is required for travelers:
• who are not citizens of the countries mentioned in the list
• who plan to stay longer than 90 days
• who arrive on a private aircraft or boat
• who plan to work or study in the United States, or
• who might otherwise be ineligible for a visa under U.S. law. In general these provisions of the law affect people who were previously denied visas, have criminal records, previously violated immigration legislation, or have contagious diseases of public health significance.
• who have a diplomatic or official status AND who are traveling to the United States on an official mission.