Under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, or VWPP, The US government provides visa waivers to citizens of certain countries for temporary travel to the U.S. without a visa. Stays can only last 90 days with no extensions. Eligible countries do not have a history of illegal immigration.

Note: Portugal and Singapore are now participanting countries in the VWPP.

Disadvantages:

(1) Those arriving via the visa waiver program can't change to another non-immigrant status unless they leave the country and re-apply.

(2) Visa Waivers can't be extended like a tourist B visa unless there is a genuine emergency, in which case the visit can only be extended 30 days.

Tourist B visas offer more flexibility than a visa waiver.

(3) Unlike certain classes of temporary visa holders, visa waiver holders applying for green cards must leave the country and apply at a U.S consulate abroad.

Eligible Visa Waiver Countries (updated May 2003): Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

For citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may add countries to the program or remove them from the program at any time.

Please Note: After May 15, 2003, citizens of Belgium must present a machine-readable passport in order to be granted admission under the VWP. This requirement also applies to citizens of Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein and Slovenia.