US Visa Waiver Program 2025: Full List of Newly Eligible Countries

US Visa Waiver Program 2025: If you are planning to travel to the United States in 2025 whether for tourism, business, or transit you should know about the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). In this article, we will explain in detail in Hindi what it is, what changes have been made to it in 2025, which countries are included, what it means for you, and the situation for countries like India.

What is the VWP?

The full name of the VWP is the “Visa Waiver Program” itthe VWP, and it is operated by a joint program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Department of State.

The central idea is to grant citizens of the chosen countries permission to come to the United States and spend not more than 90 days (maximum) without a regular visa but only through online pre-authorization.

Plainly speaking it, youyou do not need to undergo a long-standing B-1/B-2 visa procedure to travel to the US, though you have to bep, you, you, yo to travel to the US as a tourist, businessperson, or transporter, and your country g., on hahas to bes to bethe VWP list.

Who is eligible?

To travel under the Visa Waiver Program, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a citizen of one of the 43 eligible countries (citizenship, not just residency).
• You must possess an electronic passport (e-passport) with a digital chip. You must have no record of visa or immigration violations against you.
• The trip must not be longer than 90 days and the purpose must be solely tourism or business.
• You must obtain ESTA approval before traveling (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/).
• If your country is not on the list, you will need to apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa at the embassy.

What is ESTA and how does it work?

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is the backbone of the Visa Waiver Program. It is an automated online system that checks the eligibility of travelers. The process is as follows:

• Go to the official site: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
• Fill out the form: Enter passport details, travel plans, and answer qualification questions.
• Pay the $21 fee (with a debit/credit card).
• Receive a decision: Usually within a few minutes, but sometimes it can take up to 72 hours.
• ESTA approval is valid for two years or until your passport expires, but it does not guarantee entry into the US—the final decision is always made by the CBP officer at the US border.

Process during travel

When you land in the US, you must go through the immigration process:

• You will need to show your passport and ESTA confirmation.
• Show a return or onward ticket (indicating that you will return within 90 days).
• The CBP officer may ask about the purpose of your trip, where you will be staying, etc.
• If everything is in order, you will be granted permission to visit for up to 90 days—no visa is required.

Common Mistakes and Precautions

Although the process is simple, even small mistakes can cause big problems:

• Staying longer than 90 days: Even one extra day can make it difficult to get ESTA approval in the future.
• Misusing ESTA: Traveling for work or study is prohibited.
• Old or non-biometric passport: Not valid for the Visa Waiver Program.
• Applying through fake sites: Only apply through the official ESTA portal. These issues can sometimes lead to the cancellation of travel authorization or a ban on reapplying.

Why is this program important?

The Visa Waiver Program has become a crucial pillar of U.S. foreign policy. It has boosted tourism and business and strengthened trust among partner countries. In 2024 alone, it facilitated 23 million trips, generating billions of dollars in revenue for the American tourism industry. The pre-screening standards are also rigorous from a security perspective, ensuring the country’s borders remain secure.

Current List of Participating Countries (2025)

In 2025, 43 countries are participating in the Visa Waiver Program, including countries from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and some American and Middle Eastern countries:

Europe

UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania (New), San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia

Asia-Pacific

Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Brunei

Middle East

Qatar (New), Israel

America’s

Chile

Conclusion

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has become a major move in facilitating travel to the US by eligible travelers in 2025. The citizens of some countries are now allowed to visit the United States for up to 90 days without the usual visa, which would require a long procedure, and ease their journey.

But as we have seen, other nations such as India are yet to feature in this list, and in case you are an Indian citizen, then you will still need to undergo the usual visa process. However, it may still happen that India may be added to this list in the future once more reforms have taken place In case you happen to be a citizen of one of the countries that are included in the list, a brilliant opportunity awaits you with the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) quick, and fairly hassle-free mode of travel. You just need to ensure that you follow all the rules and regulations, have an e-passport, fill in the ESTA application prior, and specify the reason behind the trip.

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