Entering the U.S. - Visa Security Update
Fingerprint and Passport Information
Important Visa Information
Request Letters of Invitation
April and March Meetings only
Visa Wait Times
Expected visa processing times
Visa Waiver Program
Full explanations and requirements
Visa Help
Interview tips and general help
Passport Information
E-passports and VWP requirements
Visa Processing Time
The U.S. has updated its visa policies to increase security for its citizens and visitors. Receiving a visa may take longer than you expect. For details that may apply specifically to your country, see information posted by your nearest consulate or embassy.
Fingerprints
Ten Fingerprints Required
Effective in 2008, the U.S. transitioned from collecting two fingerprints to collecting ten fingerprints from foreign travelers to the U.S. Your fingerprints will be confirmed at your airport when you enter the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in conjunction with the U.S. Visit Program, the organization responsible for the technology and analysis of fingerprints, has updated its fingerprint collection policy to ensure the safety of both international visitors and U.S. citizens.
Transitioning to ten fingerprints will not make the process any longer for those travelers who need to be scanned. Smaller, faster, and higher quality next-generation scanners will speed security monitoring.
Fingerprints Kept on File
Travelers' fingerprint records will be kept on file for 75 years to ensure that over the course of a person’s lifetime, travelers need only submit their fingerprints once. A comprehensive privacy policy can be found on the DHS web site.
Passports
E-Passport Information Visa Waiver Program information
Visa Waiver Program
The most common way of visiting the U.S. without a visa is through the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Thirty-five countries participate in the U.S. VWP.
U.S. Visa Waiver Program
| Andorra | Iceland | Norway |
| Australia | Ireland | Portugal |
| Austria | Italy | San Marino |
| Belgium | Japan | Singapore |
| Brunei | Latvia | Slovakia |
| Czech Republic | Liechtenstein | Slovenia |
| Denmark | Lithuania | South Korea |
| Estonia | Luxembourg | Spain |
| Finland | Malta | Sweden |
| France | Monaco | Switzerland |
| Germany | the Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Hungary | New Zealand |
Older Passports
Passports Issued on or After October 26, 2006
In order to enter the U.S. without a visa, any passport issued on or after October 26, 2006 by a VWP country must be an Electronic Passport. E-Passports include an integrated computer chip capable of storing biographic information from the data page and the digital photograph of the holder.
E-Passport FAQ's
E-Passports and the Visa Waiver Program
Passports Issued Between October 26, 2005 and October 25, 2006
Older, but still valid passports issued by VWP countries between October 26, 2005 and October 25, 2006, must include a digital photo printed on the data page.
If you do not have a machine-readable passport with a digital photo printed on the passport data page, you will need to obtain a visa.
