Visa Waiver Permanent Program
The Visa Waiver Permanent Program (VWPP) enables citizens of certain participating countries to enter and visit the U.S. for business or pleasure without the necessity of obtaining a B-1 or B-2 Visa. The countries which have been designated are:Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Under the VWPP, however, you are only allowed to enter and remain in the U.S. for a maximum period of 90 days, you cannot extend your stay, you cannot work or study, and you generally cannot change to some other non-immigrant status without first going back home.
In order to qualify for the VWPP, travelers from participating countries must:
- Have a valid passport issued by the participating country and be a citizen of that country;
- Only be seeking to gain entry to the U.S. for 90 days or less as a temporary visitor;
- If entering the U.S. by air or sea, have a round-trip transportation ticket issued on a carrier that has signed an agreement with the U.S. government to participate in the waiver program, and arrive in the U.S. aboard that carrier;
- Have proof of financial solvency (ability to pay) and hold a completed and signed visa waiver arrival/departure form (I-94W), on which s/he has waived the right to a hearing of exclusion or deportation.
If you have any questions, contact South Florida Immigration Lawyer Sean D. Hummel at (954) 385-3111.
