Thanks for clarifying that.
Here's the State Dept.'s page.
U.S. Department of State |
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Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
Important Notices:
Machine-readable passports - Starting October 1, 2003, each Visa Waiver Program traveler must present a machine-readable passport (MRP) at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa, otherwise a nonimmigrant visa is required. This change includes all categories of passports-- regular, diplomatic, and official, when the traveler is seeking to enter the U.S. for B-1/B-2 purposes. To learn more, see below. Select Visa Telegram dated 7/15/03 for Public Talking Points and additional information.
Citizens of Belgium who wish to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program must present a machine-readable passport (MRP) effective May 15, 2003.Overview
What Are the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Countries?
What Do I Need to Know About the VWP and the Machine Readable Passport?
What is a Machine Readable Passport?
What Do I Need to Enter the United States on the VWP?
Entering the U.S. - Port of Entry
Is there Any Fee?
When Does a Citizen of a VWP Country Need to Apply for a Visa?
Do Canadian Citizens Need a Visa or MRP?
How Does a Country Qualify for Visa Waiver?
Additional Information - Department of Homeland Security
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Not all countries participate in the VWP. Some restrictions apply to this program as explained below.
What Are the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Countries?
Currently, 27 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
Visa Waiver Program - Participating Countries
Andorra Iceland Norway Australia Ireland Portugal Austria Italy San Marino Belgium Japan Singapore Brunei Liechtenstein Slovenia Denmark Luxembourg Spain Finland Monaco Sweden France the Netherlands Switzerland Germany New Zealand United Kingdom What Do I Need to Know about VWP & the Machine Readable Passport Required October 1?
Starting October 1, 2003, each Visa Waiver Program traveler must present a machine-readable passport (MRP) at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa. Those without MRPs must obtain a nonimmigrant visa. This change includes all categories of passports -- regular, diplomatic, and official, when the traveler is seeking to enter the U.S. for B-1/B-2 purposes.
Families and groups seeking to enter the U.S. under the VWP will need to obtain an individual passport for each traveler, including infants. Machine-readable passports typically have biodata for only one traveler in the machine-readable zone. Based on this, families may be denied visa-free entry into the U.S. if the biodata for only one traveler is machine-readable.
What Is a Machine Readable Passport?
A machine readable passport has biographical data entered on the data page according to international specifications. The size of the passport and photograph, and arrangement of data fields, especially the two lines of printed OCR-B machine readable data, meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Doc 9303, Part 1 Machine Readable Passports. OCR-B means the type is Optical Character Reader size B. If there are questions about your passport, after carefully reviewing this information, and any information which may be available to you from your country, you may want to contact the passport issuing agency or authority in your country of citizenship.
What Do I Need to Enter the United States under the VWP?
- To enter the U.S. under the VWP, travelers from participating countries must:
- Be a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country;
- Have a valid passport issued by the participating country. Beginning October 1, 2003, the passport must be machine readable passport;
- Be seeking entry for 90 days or less, as a temporary visitor for business or pleasure. You will not be permitted to extend your visit or change to another visa category under the VWP.
Visitors for Business - Some types of activities , here are types of activities permitted as a business visitor:
- Participating in commercial business transactions which do not involve gainful employment in the U.S, for example, negotiating contracts or consult with business associates You cannot receive a salary or wages from a U.S. source.
- Participating in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions, conferences or seminars;
- Conducting independent research;
- Appearing as a witness in a court trialNOTE: Representatives of the foreign press, radio, film or other information media require a nonimmigrant Media (I) visa and cannot travel to the U.S. using the visa waiver program.
Visitors for Pleasure - While this is not a complete listing, here are types of activities permitted:
- Visiting friends and relatives, touring or vacationing, visits for rest;
- Visits for medical treatment..
- Participating in conventions, conferences or convocation of fraternal or social organizations;
- Amateurs participating in sports, musical, and other events or contests, who will receive no money or other remuneration in return;
- If entering 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 VWP, and arrive in the United States aboard such a carrier.
- Hold a completed and signed Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94W, on which he/she has waived the right of review or appeal of an immigration officer’s determination about admissibility, or deportation. These forms are available from participating carriers, from travel agents, and at land-border ports-of-entry.
- You must have no visa ineligibilities. This means if you have been refused a visa before, have a criminal record or are ineligible for a visa you cannot travel on the Visa Waiver Program without a visa. You must apply for a visa to the U.S.
Entry at a land border crossing point from Canada or Mexico is permitted under the Visa Waiver Program.
Entering the U.S. - Port of Entry
Detailed information about admissions and entry in the U.S., under the Visa Waiver Program can be found by selecting Admission to the U.S. to go to the DHS, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services internet site.
Is there Any Fee?
There is a small filing fee for the Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94W from airlines. Select BCIS Forms and Fees to go to the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services internet site to learn more.
When Does a Citizen of a VWP Country Need to Apply for a Visa?
You must apply for a visa under the following circumstances, if you:
- want to work or study in the United States; or
- have been refused a visa before; or
- have a criminal record; or
- are ineligible for a visa. See Classes of Aliens Ineligible for Visas.
Do Canadian Citizens Need a Visa or MRP?
Citizens of Canada generally do not require a visa. (While some people mistakenly think Canada is part of the visa waiver program, the authorization for Canadian citizens to travel visa-free comes from other immigration laws.) The machine-readable passport requirement does not apply to Canadian citizens, because they are not part of the visa waiver program. It should be noted, these Canadian citizens travelling to the US require nonimmigrant visas: treaty traders (E), and fiance/es (K-1), as well as a U.S. citizen's foreign citizen spouse, who is traveling to the U.S. to reside here while they wait for the final completion of the process of immigration (K-3), and their respective children (K-2 for children of fiancees, and K-4 for children of a foreign citizen spouse), spouses of lawful permanent residents (V-1) and the children of those spouses (V-2) traveling to the U.S. to reside here while they wait for the final completion of their immigration process. Additionally, these Canadian citizens travelling to the US require nonimmigrant visas: foreign government officials (A), officials and employees of international organizations (G), NATO officials, representatives and employees if they are being assigned to the U.S. (as opposed to an official trip). To learn more about Canadian entry select Border Countries - Canada and Mexico and select the U.S. Embassy In Ottawa, Canada. Also select Entry from Canada to go to the DHS Bureau of Immigration and Citizen Services web site.How Does a Country Qualify for Visa Waiver?
Select Visa Waiver Program – How a Country Qualifies to learn more.
Additional Information - Department of Homeland Security
Select the Visa Waiver Program to go the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) information about the Visa Waiver Program.Return to Visa Services Page
Return to Consular Affairs Page