41 Nations Permitted to Remain in US Without Visa for 90 Days Under Visa Waiver Program

The Blessing of a US Holiday Without a Visa

To the rest of the world, an American vacation is heaven—a holiday with family, kin, and relatives during work time, a businessman’s vacation, and a work vacation. Despite how much is demanded of the visa conditions being met by all except Visa Waiver Program nationals before their accessing America, other nations are recipients of the other discretionary provision of their Visa Waiver Program on discretionary terms to provide their citizens with access to the United States for 90 days without subjecting them to the normal process of applying for a visa.

Forty-one nations are taking advantage of this facility up to 2025, and it is as simple for all of them from all these nations to go to America. India is the biggest foreign tourist-spewing country. Ask us to whom all are waived off to go visa-free, and is it not Indian passport holders who are waived off in this bill?

What is the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP)?

The Basics

The Visa Waiver Program is a US government initiative sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and administered by the Department of State. It offers visa-free travel to the United States for holidaymakers, business visitors, or transit visitors staying for up to 90 days.

Holiday makers submit the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) before travelling to America.

VWP Benefits

• No embassy visit
• Instant online ESTA
• Over and over and over reappeared in two years
• In less than 90 days, a consecutive stay in America is a tourist’s Paradise—less, less, less.

The 41 Visa Waitlist Countries of 2025

These are the 41 nations whose visitors do not have to pre-register under the guise of a visa to travel in the United States as a VWP nation:

Europe (all except listed below nations):

Andorra, Czech Republic, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Switzerland, United Kingdom Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,

Asia-Pacific: Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, South America

Chile has the same demand as the country with the lowest visa rejection rates and the highest passport control efficiency.

Is India included in the US Visa Waiver Program?

Sorry, no, India isn’t VWP-eligible. Indians will obtain a B1/B2 tourist or business visa, wait in line at an American consulate for a face-to-face interview, and wait weeks, not months, for the visa to be stamped.

Even with enhanced diplomatic relations between America and India, India isn’t a VWP member, which entails:

• Low visa rejection (India’s is highly denied)
• Two-way biometric, secure e-passport production
• Partial counterterrorism must qualify

Why India is Not Yet in the Visa Waiver Program(VWP)

There are several reasons:

1. Visa Refusal Rate

To become eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), a nation must have a visa refusal rate of less than 3%. India has 15–20%.

2. Two-Way Reciprocity Problems

A two-way visa-free arrangement would only apply to the United States, and the United States would still have a provision requiring Indian nationals to carry a visa (or an e-visa). Non-reciprocity would not be allowed on VWP diplomatic negotiation days in the typical case.

They’re all essentially Indian overstay visitors who do so after the visa has expired in America, and aren’t on the immigration agency’s priority list. They prevent them from taking advantage of the VWP, which low-overstay nations like theirs would be eager to do.

4. Security and Infrastructure Standards

VWP countries will receive advanced technology scanning, share criminal records with Americans, and utilise secure passport technology. India is on the waitlist but not the VWP.

What Indian Travellers Can Do Instead

Alternative to be a prospect to work, though in the suspension of the VWP case, Indian visitors with a passport can:

1. Apply for a B1/B2 Visa

Indians widely use it for commercial and recreational activities. Step-by-step procedure of B1/B2 visa is as follows:

• DS-160 filing
• Visa fee (about $185)
• American Embassy or consulate appointment
• Interview on a personal level. Your B1/B2 visa, which you will carry, is typically valid for 0 years with a multi-entry option allowing for a 1-month stay each.

2. Grab Visa Interview Waiver Possibilities for Visas

US policy recently knocked at your door in the form of low-risk visitor visa interview waivers for your regular B1/B2 visitors. Contact your US consulate and inquire if you can take advantage of this time-saver.

 (FAQs)

Q1: How do I know if my country can join the Visa Waiver Program?

Visit the US Department of State or the Customs and Border Protection website. VWP countries are updated each time.

Q2: How do I get ESTA?

If you are from any VWP country, e.g., India, get an ESTA application at [https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov] (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov). You will be approved in minutes or two hours.

Q3: I am Indian. May I use ESTA?

No, but it is withheld for VWP nationals. Indian passport-holding nationals would be given regular consular processing if they ever need a US visa.

Q4: Was any consideration ever given to the future potential addition of India to the VWP?

It has been tried with diplomacy, but nothing is forthcoming or on the horizon. For security reasons, India can protest application—and visa-based rejection rates.

Q5: Is it possible to travel visa-free to America on a dual nationality (British or Canadian) passport?

Yes, the National citizenship of the aforesaid passport in the VWP nation is available upon travelling on ESTA. Ironically, Canadians may not necessarily be required to use ESTA or a visa on most weekend holidays.

A Privilege to World Travel With Strings Attached

The Visa Waiver Program is easy to sign up for, but don’t mess with it. Abuse (e.g., on an unauthorised work visa) or breach of the visa waiver stay limit will render one ineligible or deport them. One will be admitted or denied by customs officials at the port of entry, even to VWP visitors.

So then, whereas the program. Access. There shall be required. Compliance. Good faith, and good faith of.

Purpose of trip.

One Step Ahead, But Several Bridges to Burn for India

The USA Visa Waiver Program permits a free flow of travel for pre-screened nationals and business partners, as well as for vacation and festival trip groups and tourism purposes. India has a few bridges to burn before it is given space for indulgence in a coupon-like attitude, such as success in case of visa denial, security cooperation, and policy reciprocation.

Indian visitors can also visit American places on a tourist visa or a business visa—to be sure, these are available, but now through ever more clandestine avenues. Statesmanship and science can but descend ever more with ever decreasing seasonable fervour, so that unless perhaps inexorably, sooner or later, India will be invited into this inner world.

If even for the moment, at least during the present interval, at least, is the American dream for this Indian passport carrier two or more steps behind—miles behind.