Visa Waiver Program (VWP) & ESTA

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a U.S. visa. Visitors applying for entry under this program are allowed to remain for a maximum of 90 days. No extensions are granted. Visitors who enter without a visa cannot change status. (For example, you cannot decide that you want to begin a course of study or begin working in the U.S.) Travelers coming under the VWP cannot work or study. If you plan to stay for more than 90 days, to study or to work, you MUST obtain a visa before traveling. Failure to do so could result in your being detained at the port of entry and returned to Austria on the first available flight. Please see additional requirements below.

Visa Waiver Country List

*The possession of a biometric passport (with chip) is always required for citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Republic of Korea and the Slovak Republic.

Important Note: Please read the Austrian Passport Information carefully, since certain Austrian passports (such as children’s passport issued without a chip on or after October 26, 2006) are not valid for Visa Waiver Program travel.

To qualify for the VWP, travelers from participating countries must:

1. Have a valid passport issued by the participating country and be a citizen (not only a resident) of that country;
2. Be seeking entry for 90 days or less as a temporary visitor;
3. If entering by air or sea, have a round-trip ticket issued on an approved carrier and arrive in the United States aboard such a carrier (Most major airlines and cruise lines are approved. The Embassy does not have a list of approved carriers. Call the carrier if you have questions. If traveling by private plane or private boat, you must obtain a visa.);   
4. If arriving by a land border, have proof of financial solvency and a domicile abroad;
5. Complete and sign a visa waiver arrival/departure form (I-94W). These forms are available from participating carriers and at land border ports of entry. (Travelers should consult carriers before departure to verify which ones are participating.) By signing this form the travelers indicate that they understand the limits of the program and that they waive the right to a hearing of exclusion or deportation (if they are found excludable at the port of entry).

Important Information for Travelers on the Visa Waiver Program

The Visa Waiver Program applies for the United States of America including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S.-Virgin Islands.

After entering the U.S. you may travel to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands within 90 days and re-enter the U.S. using any mode of transport. You may also enter the U.S. without a visa from Canada or Mexico for up to 90 days (please note that there will be a $ 6.00 fee, payable only in U.S. dollars). You will have to show financial proof to finance your trip at the port of entry. Travelers who apply for entry at a land border crossing point are not required to present round trip transportation tickets. However, all other VWP requirements apply to such travelers.

Please do not apply for a visa if your travel plans meet the VWP requirements. 

Please note that the following travelers will need a visa in any case:

• People whose registration has been denied under ESTA.
• People who intend to work in the U.S. (paid or unpaid!). This includes work as an au-pair or intern.
• People who intend to stay in the U.S. for more than 90 days.
• People who intend to attend school or university in the U.S.
• People who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from the U.S. within the past five years.
• People who have ever been arrested or convicted for any offense or crime (including drug trafficking).
• People who have been afflicted with a serious communicable disease, or who are drug abusers or addicts.
• People who have participated in the persecution of any person under the control of the Nazi Government of Germany.
• People who have ever been a member or representative of a terrorist organization.

If any of the above applies to you, you are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program and will need a visa to enter the United States.

ESTA (Electronic Systems for Travel Authorization)

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers are required to obtain a travel authorization via the Electronic Systems for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the United States.

ESTA is available in many different languages and accessible online at: ELECTRONIC ESTA APPLICATION FORM.

ESTA travel authorizations are generally valid for two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. A visitor may travel to the U.S. repeatedly within the validity period without having to apply for another ESTA.

All ESTA registrations made on or after September 8, 2010 will be subject to an ESTA registration fee of $14.00.  The credit card payment will be made on-line in the course of the registration process. 

Please note that persons entering the United States on a visa and lawful permanent resident aliens (Green Card holders) do not need an ESTA registration.

Inquiries about ESTA

This office has no access to the ESTA data base. Visa Waiver Program travelers with inquiries about their ESTA registration can first visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Patrol (DHS/CBP) info center at: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/list. Should a person need further information after consulting the website, one may call the CBP General Information Line of the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt at 0049-69-7535-3876 or e-mail the CBP office there at cbp.frankfurt@dhs.gov.

Important note: If your passport has ever been reported lost or stolen to the authorities and then recovered, please do not attempt to use it for travel to the United States. If you input the passport details into ESTA, your application will be denied. Please consider replacing your passport or seek a visa.

Fact Sheet on ESTA and Visa Waiver Program (pdf/280kb), August 2010

FAQs about ESTA (pdf/138kb), August 2010

U.S. State Department/Visa Waiver Program (VWP) - Important information regarding new ESTA travel regulations