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The Visa Waiver Program
June 01, 2004: October 1, 2003,
Visa Waiver Program nationals will be required to obtain
either a Machine Readable Passport or a U.S. non-immigrant visa in order
to enter the United States.
Many travelers to the United States do not need visas
under the visa waiver program. To qualify for visa-free entry, travelers
must be a citizen of one of the following countries:
Andorra, Australia , Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United
Kingdom.
Effective 21 February 2002, Argentina is no longer included in the visa
waiver program.
In addition to be being a citizen of one of the above
countries, the travelers must be:
- traveling on an unexpired national or EC passport
- traveling for business or pleasure only (not government business)
- staying in the US for 90 days or less.
if entering the US by air or sea:
- holding a return or onward ticket
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entering the US aboard an air or sea carrier that
has signed an agreement with the US Immigration and Naturalization
Service to participate in the visa-waiver program; and in possession
of a completed form I-94W, obtainable from airline or shipping companies.
Or, if entering the US by land from Canada or Mexico:
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in possession of a completed form I-94W, issued by
the immigration authorities at the border port of entry.
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Some travelers are not eligible by law to enter the
United States. These include people with certain serious communicable
illnesses, criminal records (particularly those involved with drugs),
previous deportations from the US, certain visa refusals and other
problems with US immigration laws or visas. Such travelers may apply
for specially annotated visas; but they may not use the visa waiver
program. If they attempt to travel visa-free, they will be refused
entry into the United States.
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Visa-free entry does not include those who plan to
study, work or remain in the US more than 90 days. Those travelers
need visas. If a US Immigration Officer believes that a visa-free
traveler is going to study or work or stay longer 90 days, the officer
will refuse to admit the traveler. No appeal is possible.
Travelers who use the visa waiver program cannot extend
their stay beyond 90 days, and they cannot change their visa status.
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