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International Facilitation
Visa Waiver Program
Overview
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) was created by Congress in 1986 and welcomed its first two countries (UK and Japan) two years later. This critically important program permits business and leisure travelers from 35 ally nations to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without the expense and wait of obtaining a non-immigrant tourist visa. In 2008, eight new countries were added to the VWP following the implementation of a series of new security measures and use of a waiver authority for visa refusal rates.
Continuing to preserve and expand the VWP to qualified nations will make the U.S. more competitive in the growing global travel market and help advance America’s public diplomacy efforts. Congress must ensure continued use of the visa refusal rate waiver in order to admit key Latin American allies such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile into the VWP.
Economics
Overseas visitors from Visa Waiver Program countries are the largest source of inbound overseas travel to the U.S.
- According to 2008 U.S. Commerce Department data, the total number of inbound travelers from VWP travelers to the U.S. totaled more than 16 million -- accounting for 65 percent of all overseas travelers.
- These VWP travelers spent more than $51 billion in the U.S. in 2008, excluding international airfare. That spending generated 512,000 jobs, $13 billion in payroll, and $7.8 billion in government taxes for the U.S. economy in 2008, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
- On average, overseas travelers spend $4,500 per person, per visit in the U.S. including airfare, expenses on hotels, meals, entertainment, retail shopping, and local transportation, providing important economic support to small businesses and local economies.
Public Diplomacy Benefits
In order to expand America’s economic and foreign policy options, the U.S. must work to improve its image around the world. Welcoming thousands of new overseas visitors through the VWP can serve as an effective public diplomacy tool for our nation.
- Surveys show that those who have visited the United States are 74 percent more likely to have a favorable opinion of America and support U.S. policies.
- The public diplomacy of business and cultural exchange has a multiplier effect. Nearly 9 in 10 travelers tell their friends and relatives about their travel experiences.
- 61 percent believe that once people visit the United States they become friendlier toward the country and its policies.
The Visa Waiver Program strikes the correct balance between security and travel facilitation, and we look forward to seeing the program grow in the future. These 35 countries currently participate in the Visa Waiver Program: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Visit the U.S. Department of State website to learn more about the Visa Waiver Program.
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Facts & Figures
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