Green Card & Visa News

The term Waiver stands for a kind of document provided to a person before a service is rendered by him. This waiver works as a security object for both the person as well as the provider.

‘Waiver’ holds the same significance in Visa Waiver Program too. Visa Waiver Program is a grant provided by the government of United States of America to the citizens of specific countries to travel United States for business or any other purpose for not more than 90 days without any Visa.

U.S. government has listed 34 countries under waiver program which are either the countries that possess higher economy or the developed countries.

A Pilot test of Visa Waiver Program was incorporated into Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) in year 1986 by the Immigration Reform and Control Act. This pilot program was made permanent on October 30, 2000 by a special Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act. Security of Visa Waiver Program was strengthened by the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 which made the entry under this program more difficult.

The greatest advantage that a Visa Waiver Program can give is that any person that wishes to conduct his business in America can travel to United States without any visa.

Any individual applying for this program has to obtain an authorisation from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before travelling. ESTA is an Automatic system that scrutinizes the eligibility of travellers wishing to visit United States under Visa Waiver Program. Application for the ESTA can be applied any time before your travel but it is highly recommended that its application should be submitted at the time of your travel plans.

Apart from the leverage that Visa Waiver Program provides, there are some issues to be taken care if you are applying for this program. You may not extend your status of being non-immigrant, if you are admitted once under this program. If you have violated any terms related to admission under this program then you cannot apply for the same anymore and in case if your admission is not accepted then you cannot take any judicial support for re-application.

Thus, if you fall under the privileged countries that come under Visa Waiver Program then you can surely apply for this facility that United States government provides.