Traveling to the United States, for tourism or business, for a stay of 90 days or less can be made using the Visa Waiver, which is subject to several conditions.

The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that the United States Visa Waiver Program, more commonly known as Visa Waiver Program, VWP (for the acronym in English), “is the program that citizens of certain countries, who are members of this program, permits the United States for tourism, business and transit, and residence for a period not exceeding 90 days, without carrying a visa, but with an electronic travel authorization.”

This authorization lasts 2 years.

The Chilean site La Tercera, published by Clarín, explains that it is about the Visa Exemption program through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in coordination with the Department of State. Citizens of 40 countries can certainly travel to the United States without a visa for business or tourism for a stay of up to 90 days.

In return, those 40 countries must allow U.S. citizens and nationals to travel to their countries without a visa for business or tourism purposes for a similar period of time.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

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What is the ESTA system?

The ESTA system, Electronic System Travel Authorization or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an automated online system used by the United States to determine eligibility for visitors traveling to the United States for the Visa Waiver Program, which can be accessed from the website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov from anywhere in the world, says the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chile is the only Latin American country in the Visa Waiver Program.

Bernadette Meehan, ambassador

Countries whose citizens can access the Visa Waiver

The US Department of Homeland Security list includes 40 countries:

Image: Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko

The people who have dual nationality option for the option that gives you better conditions to travel, the southern media noted, Clarín reported.

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How the Visa Waiver is processed

From Bíobío they indicate that a requirement to travel is to have an electronic passport, allowed by the ESTA system.

The electronic passport” is available from the Civil Registry and ID Service and contains an integrated chip (which integrates the holder’s biometric characteristics)”.

With information from the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bíobío and Clarín

For more information about the Visa Waiver, read here