VWP: Chile

From the US State Department:

"Chile Joins Visa Waiver Program"

Beginning March 31, 2014, Chileans meeting the criteria of the Visa Waiver Program may travel to the United States for business or tourism, for up to 90 days, without a visa.

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less, when they meet all requirements explained below. Travelers must be eligible to use the VWP and have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel.

Citizen or National of a VWP Designated Country:

You must be a citizen or national of VWP-participant country.  The following 37 countries are Visa Waiver Program participants:

A Andorra Australia Austria
B Belgium Brunei
C Czech Republic
D Denmark
E Estonia
F Finland France
G Germany Greece

H Hungary

I Iceland Ireland Italy

J Japan

L Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg

M Malta Monaco

N Netherlands New Zealand Norway

P Portugal

S San Marino Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland

T Taiwan

U United Kingdom

 

Each Traveler Must have authorization under ESTA

In order to travel without a visa on the VWP, you must have authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding a U.S. bound air or sea carrier. ESTA is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) automated web-based system to determine eligibility to travel without a visa to the United States for tourism or business. Visit the ESTA webpage on the CBP website for more detailed information, to apply for ESTA, and pay the fee.

Travel Must be on an Approved Carrier

If arriving by air or sea, you must be arriving on an approved air or sea carrier. You must also have a round trip ticket indicating return passage to a country* outside the United States.

Previous Compliance and No Prior Visa Ineligibilities

If you have had a U.S. visa before or previously traveled to the United States under the VWP or another status, you must have complied with the conditions of previous admissions to the United States, and you must not have previously been found ineligible for a U.S. visa. Travelers should be aware that by requesting admission under the Visa Waiver Program, they are generally waiving their right to review or appeal a CBP officer’s decision as to their application for admission at the port of entry.

Have the Correct Type of Passport

You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure from the United States (unless exempted by country-specific agreements). For families, each member of your family, including infants and children, must have his/her own passport.

In addition, your passport must meet the following requirements for VWP travel:

Citizens of:	Must have a machine-readable passport, and also:
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Republic of Korea, and the Slovak Republic	with an integrated chip containing information from the passport data page= e-Passport
Taiwan	with an integrated chip containing information from the passport data page = e-Passport, and a national ID number

Citizens	Must have a machine-readable passport, and:
all other VWP countries	with an integrated chip containing information from the passport data page= e-Passport
	with a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page= e-Passport
	with no further requirements

 

Emergency and Temporary Passports:

If you use an emergency or temporary passport to enter the United States on the VWP, the passport must be an electronic passport, or e-Passport. This includes VWP travelers who are transiting the United States.

Trips to Canada, Mexico, or nearby Islands

If you are admitted to the United States under the VWP, you may take a short trip to Canada, Mexico, or a nearby island and generally be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the remainder of the original 90 days granted upon your initial arrival in the United States. Therefore, the length of time of your total stay, including the short trip, must be 90 days or less. See the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website. Citizens of VWP countries* who reside in Mexico, Canada, or a nearby island are generally exempted from the requirement to show onward travel to another country* when entering the United States.

How can a country join the VWP?

A country must meet various requirements to be considered for designation in the Visa Waiver Program. Requirements include, but are not limited to:

• enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the United States;
• issuing e-Passports;
• having a visitor (B) visa refusal rate of less than three percent;
• timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports; and
• maintenance of high counterterrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.

Designation as a VWP country is at the discretion of the U.S. government. Meeting the objective requirements of the VWP does not guarantee a country will receive VWP designation.

 ^ This is the first time since 2003 - when Argentina and Uruguay were removed -  when a South American country will be included in the VWP. French Guinea is also apart of the VWP because it is owned by France and France is a member. There are 9 more countries that are trying to become/regain a member of the VWP: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Israel, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Uruguay. I have reservations about letting Argentina and Uruguay back in, but the other countries should be allowed to enroll. Hopefully, Chile will be a first-step into allowing these and other qualified countries to join. ^

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visa-waiver-program.html