US Visa Waiver Program Permits: 41 Countries 90-Day Visits, know if India Included

Millions of individuals have dreamed about America as a land of opportunity—to study, travel, or work. Regarding the problem of easy arrival from overseas, under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), entry of visitors from nations previously within US jurisdiction was made easier, allowing visa-free stays of up to 90 days.
As of 2025, 41 countries have implemented rapid entry through an online clearance process. One solitary exception, though, must be made for India.
Despite all diplomatic tension and growing economic interdependence, Indians do not receive a waiver of the regular B1/B2 visa process, which involves a multi-month wait and interrogation.

What Is the US Visa Waiver Program?

A Brief Overview
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is the Department of Homeland Security’s program that enables visitors from participating nations to:

• Stay in the United States for up to 90 days
• Arrange travel to the United States for business, tourism, or in transit
• Replaced the normal visa process
• Travel by use of ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). The program has been created to:
• Promote tourism and business
• Facilitate diplomatic relations
• Shift some of the load off US foreign consulates
• Provide a more manageable and safer entry to low-risk visitors

The 41 Visa Waiver Countries

Up until 2025, Visa Waiver Program nations are
Much of Western Europe (i.e., UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain), Asia-Pacific allies Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, A few South American and Eastern European countries (i.e., Chile, Poland, Estonia)
Some Surprising Names on the List

• Germany
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Japan
• South Korea
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Sweden
• Singapore.

They all have low data and security standards, as well as high visa overstay rates.

Why Is India Still Not on the List?

Security Standards and Reciprocity

One of the reasons India isn’t listed is that for a country to be eligible to join the VWP, it should:

• Grant visa-free entry to US citizens
• Has a very low overstaying visa rate (i.e., below 3%)
• Submits mandatory passenger and security information to the US government

India still requires Americans to apply for a visa, despite the availability of e-visa facilities, which the American government considers less reciprocal.
Overstay Issues

Second, there is a high rate of overstayed visas in India. Generally, Indian travellers respect the US visa policy. Still, there is an excess number threshold of people remaining in the United States for an abnormally extended, unauthorised period, which restrains the present policy for India.

How Does the Visa Waiver Program Work?

The ESTA Role
VWP visitors must apply for travel authorisation via the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). This is not a visa or advance screening program for the Department of Homeland Security.
Steps involved:

• Fill in personal and travel information online.
• Lower fee (about $21).
• Approved within minutes in 72 hours.
• ESTA is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires. It is convenient for worthy citizens to take impromptu or ad hoc holiday pilgrimages to the US.

Impact of Indian Travellers on US Travel

Reduced Waiting Periods and Visa Interviews
US travel remains a bureaucratic, time-consuming process for Indians with valid passports. B1/B2 visa interview appointment slots in Indian metros, such as Mumbai, New Delhi, and Hyderabad, take over two months to fill during the peak 2025 holiday periods.
The three Indian states still cling to excessive charges and bureaucracy even in emergencies.
Indian citizens must remit visa fees (~$ 185), undergo an interview, provide proof of financial means, country of origin, and purpose of visit, and wait for weeks or months. VWP visitors endure none of the hassles of using only an online application.

A Tale of Two Travellers: Germany vs. India

A German software programmer named Anika is coming to San Francisco for a business conference. She applied for ESTA, got approval today, and made reservations.
Ravi, an Indian businessman, must also attend the same conference. He books a time slot for a visa and then applies and waits 72 days for a lacuna in case of any lacuna on a free-of-cost basis. There is a chance that he will not get the visa on time.
This is the access gap, even for two qualified specialists with reserved travel plans.

(FAQs)

Can Indians apply for ESTA?
No. ESTA is for nationals of the 41 countries in the Visa Waiver Program. Indians would need to apply for a non-immigrant visa.

Will India join the Visa Waiver Program?
It’s possible but uncertain. India would need to:
Decrease the visa overstay rate
Increase reciprocal visa-free travel of US nationals
Establish a data sharing and border control process

How much time does it take to get a B1/B2 visa as an Indian national?
Wait times vary depending on the time and location. Wait times for appointments in India through 2025 are expected to range from 60 to 250 days, depending on the area.

ESTA or a US visa. What is the difference?
ESTA is a Visa Waiver Program travel authorisation that is fast, online, and hassle-free.
Obtaining an American visa involves a comprehensive application process, which includes fees, a consular interview, and the submission of required documentation.

Is an Indian visa holder in the United States free to travel for 90 days as well?
Yes. Indian nationals with an active B1/B2 visa can travel to the United States for 90 days on a single visit. However, they will be asked to produce the physical visa and complete the immigration entry procedure.

Are there relaxed Indian visa policies for countries besides these?

Some countries have opened their visa policy towards Indians, and those are

• UAE (visa-on-arrival and e-visa for some categories)
• Sri Lanka and Thailand (visa on arrival)
• European Schengen nations (simplified VFS procedures)
• Malaysia and Indonesia (e-visa systems)

What Can Possibly Change in the Future?

India’s Expanding Global Presence
As India’s superpower economy grows, requests for Indian involvement in the Visa Waiver Program will be increasingly complex to sell in future years. Indian American groups and congressmen would quickly demand streamlining of business and IT professional visa or waiver processes.
Diplomatic Negotiations
Washington-New Delhi diplomacy can go down the following paths:

• Bilateral visa waivers
• Data sharing proposals
• Teleportation to the end of the overstay rate.

These would be titanic steps towards total inclusion.

Last Word: Progress for Some, Patience for Others

The United States Visa Waiver Program is an open invitation to frictionless travel; millions are invited to come and go from the nation with impunity. Freedom, convenience, and promise to 41 countries.
No.
But half the door is ajar for India, home to one of the world’s largest stockpiles of educated, technologically sophisticated travellers.
However, American visa travel remains a fantasy for an Indian passport holder; yet, frequent diplomatic travel between India and the USA is a reason to be hopeful.
Indian tourists need to wait, plan, and adjust to the complexity of the US visa policy—they hope change is on the way.