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What is a U.S. Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to travel to the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa. Visas are placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The visa section of this website contains information on U.S. visas for foreign citizens seeking to travel to the United States.

(Note: U.S. citizens don’t need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the country they wish to visit. When planning travel abroad, learn about visa requirements by country, on the country information  page of the International Travel Section of this website).

More Information about Visas

Find out what visa type is appropriate for you

The type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel.

Please visit our Visa Wizard to find out what visa type is appropriate for you.

You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions   or find out about the  Visa Waiver Program .

Other useful links:  Visa Categories   |   Find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate   |   Glossary

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Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Note:  Please check the individual Embassy or Consulate website to determine if your case is eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview.

Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.

Select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate:

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Many non-U.S. citizens need a visa to enter the United States to visit, work, and live. Why do you want to travel to the United States? Please try our Visa Wizard.

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B-1 Temporary Business Visitor

You may be eligible for a B-1 visa if you will be participating in business activities of a commercial or professional nature in the United States, including, but not limited to:

• Consulting with business associates
• Traveling for a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or a conference on specific dates
• Settling an estate
• Negotiating a contract
• Participating in short-term training
• Transiting through the United States: certain persons may transit the United States with a B-1 visa
• Deadheading: certain air crewmen may enter the United States as deadhead crew with a B-1 visa

You must demonstrate the following in order to be eligible for a B-1 visa:

• The purpose of your trip is to enter the United States for business of a legitimate nature
• You plan to remain for a specific limited period of time
• You have sufficient funds to cover the expenses of the trip and your stay in the United States
• You have a residence outside the United States that you have no intention of abandoning, as well as other binding ties that will ensure your return abroad at the end of the visit
• You are otherwise admissible to the United States

For information on applying for a B-1 visa, see the “Department of State” link.

Noncitizens seeking a B-1 visa from certain countries may be able to enter the United States without a visa. For information about exemptions from the visa requirements, see the Customs & Border Protection page.

If you are in the United States in another valid nonimmigrant status, you may be eligible to change to B-1 status. To change to B-1 status, file a Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status . For more information, see the Change my Nonimmigrant Status  page.

At the port of entry, an immigration official must authorize your admission to the United States, and, if you are eligible for admission, you may be admitted initially for the period necessary to carry out your business activities, up to a maximum period of 1 year. If you who wish to stay beyond the time indicated on the Form I-94 without departing from the United States, you must file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and submit any required supporting documents to USCIS. For more information, see the  Extend my Stay  page.

Your spouse and children are not eligible for a dependent visa. Each of your dependents who will be accompanying or following to join you must apply separately for a B-2 visa and must follow the regulations for that visa.

Certain personal or domestic servants accompanying or following to join individuals in a B, E, F, H, I, J, L, or TN nonimmigrant classification, personal or domestic servants of U.S. citizens who have a permanent home or are stationed in a foreign country, as well as certain employees of foreign airlines, may be eligible for B-1 nonimmigrant status if their activities in the United States are in connection with their foreign employment. Such activities are not considered, for purposes of the B-1 classification, to be prohibited local “employment” or “labor for hire” within the United States.

While these B-1 nonimmigrants are not required to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS before engaging in their approved B-1 activities, they may still receive an EAD upon request by filing Form I-765. Note, however, that if such persons engage in activities outside their B-1 nonimmigrant status, such as working for another employer in the United States, they will be found to have violated their B-1 nonimmigrant status. They also may not remain in the United States for longer than the authorized period of stay in B-1 nonimmigrant status.

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• Transportation Security
• Visa Waiver Program
• Program Requirements

Visa Waiver Program Requirements

The Visa Waiver Program  (VWP) permits citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.

Visa Waiver Program Countries

There are currently 41 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program:

• Andorra (1991)
• Australia (1996)
• Austria (1991)
• Belgium (1991)
• Brunei (1993)
• Chile (2014)
• Croatia (2021)
• Czech Republic (2008)
• Denmark (1991)
• Estonia (2008)
• Finland (1991)
• France (1989)
• Germany (1989)
• Greece (2010)
• Hungary (2008)
• Iceland (1991)
• Ireland (1995)
• Israel (2023)
• Italy (1989)
• Japan (1988)
• Korea, Republic of (2008)
• Latvia (2008)
• Liechtenstein (1991)
• Lithuania (2008)
• Luxembourg (1991)
• Malta (2008)
• Monaco (1991)
• Netherlands (1989)
• New Zealand (1991)
• Norway (1991)
• Poland (2019)
• Portugal (1999)
• San Marino (1991)
• Singapore (1999)
• Slovakia (2008)
• Slovenia (1997)
• Spain (1991)
• Sweden (1989)
• Switzerland (1989)
• Taiwan (2012)
• United Kingdom** (1988)

NOTE:  The citizens of the new countries of Curacao, Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba and St Maarten (the former Netherlands Antilles) are not eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program if they are applying for admission with passports from these countries.

Passport Requirements

• The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page
• The passport must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner.

As of April 1, 2016, all travelers must have an e-passport to use the VWP.  An e-Passport, denoted by the symbol  , is an enhanced secure passport with an embedded electronic chip. E-Passports are issued by the proper passport issuing authority and must meet international standards for securing and storing information corresponding to the passport and bearer.   

More information  can be found on CBP.gov .

Digital Photographs

If your passport does not have this feature, you can still travel without a visa if:

• You are a citizen of a country that joined the Visa Waiver Program prior to 2008 and possess a valid passport containing a machine-readable zone issued before October 26, 2005, or
• You have an “e-Passport,” which includes an integrated computer chip capable of storing biographic information from the data page, a digital photograph, and other biometric information.

If you were issued a passport  on or after October 26, 2005  and it does not meet the aforementioned requirements, you will need to obtain a visa.

Machine-Readable Passports

All Visa Waiver Program countries must issue passports with a machine-readable zone. A machine-readable passport has two lines of text as letters, numbers and chevrons (<<<) at the bottom of the personal information page, along with the bearer’s picture. It looks like the image below.

If your passport does not have this feature, you have two options:

• Obtain a qualifying, new passport if your country of nationality is producing one, or
• Obtain a visa.

Please contact your passport-issuing agency or your country's embassy if you have questions about your country’s production of a qualifying e-Passport.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization

The  Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)  is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Eligible citizens or nationals from all Visa Waiver Program countries must obtain approval through ESTA prior to traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Visa Waiver Program travelers are encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the United States.

Please refer to the  ESTA webpage  for more detailed information or to apply for ESTA.

Additional Information

For additional Frequently Asked Questions on the Visa Waiver Program, please visit CBP's  FAQ page for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) .

For more information about the Visa Waiver Program please visit the State Department's  Travel Website .

* With respect to all references to “country” or “countries” in this document, it should be noted that the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Pub. L. No. 96-8, Section 4(b)(1), provides that “[w]henever the laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply with respect to Taiwan.” 22 U.S.C. § 3303(b)(1). Accordingly, all references to “country” or “countries” in the Visa Waiver Program authorizing legislation, Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1187, are read to include Taiwan. This is consistent with the United States’ one-China policy, under which the United States has maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan since 1979.

** British citizens only with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

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• For International Visitors
• Visa Waiver Program

Requirements for Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visas

There are two categories of U.S. visas: immigrant and nonimmigrant. Immigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live permanently in the United States. Nonimmigrant visas are for foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States on a temporary basis - for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, study, or other similar reasons.

Immigrant Visa

An immigrant visa is issued to a foreign national who intends to live and work permanently in the United States. In most cases, a relative or employer sponsors the individual by filing an application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Certain applicants such as workers with extraordinary ability, investors, and certain special immigrants can petition on their own behalf. The application is later forwarded to the appropriate U.S. Consulate or Embassy overseas for continued processing and issuance of the immigrant visa to the intending immigrant, if eligible. An intending immigrant must present the immigrant visa at a U.S. port-of-entry prior to the expiration of the immigrant visa. An intending immigrant becomes a lawful permanent resident once the immigrant visa and accompanying paperwork is reviewed and endorsed by a CBP Officer. For specific information regarding immigrant visa classifications and requirements, refer to the USCIS website or the Department of State website.

Non-Immigrant Visa

Nonimmigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States on a temporary basis for tourism, business, medical treatment and certain types of temporary work. The type of nonimmigrant visa needed is defined by immigration law, and related to the purpose of the travel. Generally, an individual applies directly to the U.S. consulate or embassy abroad for a tourist (B-2) or business nonimmigrant (B-1) visa. However, foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States to study or work may require certain authorization and documentation prior to applying for a nonimmigrant visa. For an alphabetical listing all of the nonimmigrant visa classifications and specific requirements refer to the USCIS website. or the U.S. Department of State website.

Issuance of a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States. A visa simply indicates that a U.S. consular officer at an American embassy or consulate has reviewed the application and that officer has determined that the individual is eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose. The CBP Officer at the port-of-entry will conduct an inspection to determine if the individual is eligible for admission under U.S. immigration law.

Visa Free Travel

U.S. policy permits citizens of certain countries as identified below to travel to the United States without a visa. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) permits nationals from designated countries to apply for admission to the United States for 90 days or less as nonimmigrant visitors for business or pleasure without first obtaining a U.S. nonimmigrant visa.

At the time of application for admission, a VWP applicant must:

Be in possession of a round-trip ticket that will transport the individual out of the United States to any other foreign port or place as long as the trip does not terminate in contiguous territory or an ; except that the round trip ticket may transport the traveler to contiguous territory or an , if the traveler is a resident of the country of destination or if arriving at a land border, provide evidence of financial solvency and a domicile abroad to which the traveler intends to return;

• Be arriving on designated carrier that is signatory to a Visa Waiver Program Agreement, if applicable;
• Have a machine-readable passport valid for 6 months beyond the period of intended stay, or essentially 9 months (90 days + 6 months). The Department of State's 6-month list extending the validity of certain foreign passports can be found on the Department of State website. (A traveler with an expired passport is ineligible for VWP admission); and,
• Complete an Arrival/Departure Form I-94W. Travelers arriving at a land border will be required to pay the required Form I-94W processing fee.

In addition, VWP visitors may not file an application to change status to an immigrant or another nonimmigrant classification or extend their stay beyond the 90-day timeframe. VWP applicants waive their right to proceedings before an Immigration Judge, unless they make an asylum application.

Visa Waiver Program Frequently Asked Questions

For additional information about the Visa Waiver Program , refer to the Department of State website.

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• Adjustment of Status
• E-2      Treaty Investors
• E-3      Australian Speciality Workers
• Green Cards
• H-1B    Specialty Workers
• H-1B1  Chileans and Singaporeans
• H-3     Trainees
• International Entrepreneur Parole
• K-1       Fiance or Fiancee
• L-1       Intra-company Transfers
• Marriage to a U.S. Citizen
• O-1      Extraordinary Ability
• P-1       Athletes or Entertainers
• P-3      Artists or Entertainers
• TN (Canada)     NAFTA Professional
• TN (Mexico)     NAFTA Professional

Enter US Without A Visa:

Visa waiver program (vwp), introduction.

Planning a trip to the U.S. in the near future? Have you applied for your visa yet? If you are a citizen of certain countries, your trip is for business or pleasure, and you are planning to stay in the U.S. for less than 90 days, you will not need a visa.

The Visa Waiver Program, known by the acronym VWP, allows citizens of 36 qualifying countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa.

Individuals those are eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) may still apply for and be issued a visitor visa under certain circumstances. However, you cannot use the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to enter the U.S. for any purpose other than as a tourist or business visitor.

Requirements For Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

To be eligible to enter the U.S. without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) the traveler seeking admission must be a citizen of one of the countries that has been designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, as a “program country”.  Permanent residents of designated countries do not qualify, unless they hold a citizenship of another designated country .

Further, to enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, you must:

• Be a nonimmigrant (you have a home in a foreign country you have no intention of abandoning)
• Intend to enter the U.S. for 90 days or less
• Have a Machine Readable Passport lawfully issued to you by a VWP country that is valid for six months beyond your intended visit
• Be a national of the VWP country that issued your passport
• Have been checked using an automated electronic database containing information about inadmissible aliens to the U.S.
• Have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination other than a territory bordering on the U.S. or an adjacent island
• Present to the Immigration Inspector a completed and signed Form I-94W, Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival-Departure Record
• Not pose a safety threat to the U.S.
• Not have failed to comply with the conditions of any previous admission under the VWP or the previous VWPP

DID YOU KNOW? Eligible Countries For Visa Waiver Program (VWP): There are currently 36 countries designated under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). They are: Andorra Iceland Portugal Australia Ireland San Marino Austria Italy Singapore Belgium Japan Slovakia Brunei Latvia Slovenia Czech Republic Liechtenstein South Korea Denmark Lithuania Spain Estonia Luxembourg Sweden Finland Malta Switzerland France Monaco Taiwan Germany the Netherlands United Kingdom Greece New Zealand Chile Hungary Norway *Anyone who is also a citizen of Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan are not eligible to travel under the VWP.

The Requirements For The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Are As Follows

1. Citizen of Visa Waiver Program Country: To enter the U.S. under the VWP, travelers from participating countries must be a citizen of a designated Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country.

2. Machine readable and biometric passports: All travelers must have individual passports. It is not acceptable under the visa waiver program for children to be included on a parent’s passport. Additionally, passport requirements (with respect to citizens of VWP countries designated before 2008) depend on the date the passport was issued or renewed:

a. Passports issued or renewed before October 26, 2005 must be machine readable

b. Passports issued or renewed after October 26, 2005 must be machine readable and contain a digitized photograph, or must be biometric passports

c. Passports issued or renewed after October 26, 2006 must be biometric

d. Citizens of VWP countries designated after 2008 must present a biometric passport

3. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA): The ESTA was established in June 2008. All incoming travelers using the VWP are required to complete an I-94W form online before departure for the U.S. While a traveler can complete the ESTA application at any time before you come to the US the State Department prefers that it be done at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance. The ESTA was established to increase U.S. security by pre-screening participating VWP passengers against terrorist and/or no-fly lists and databases. Once completed the electronic authorization is valid for a two-year period. The authorization is mandatory for all VWP travelers before boarding flights destined to the United States. However, while the ESTA is required to be completed before travel to the U.S. it does not guarantee admission into the United States (final admission eligibility is determined at a U.S. port of entry by immigration inspectors).

4. Valid Passport:  In addition to being a biometric passport the passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the expected date of departure from the United States. While this is the standard requirement some country-specific arrangements are different.

5. Return or Onward Ticket: If the individual is traveling on an electronic ticket they must have a copy of the itinerary to show the immigration inspector at the port of entry when they will be departing from the U.S.

NOTE: Travelers with onward tickets terminating in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be citizens of or legal permanent residents of these areas.

Act Now - free spots fill up fast!

Let’s look at two different situations and determine whether the individuals can or should travel under the VWP.

Who Does Not Qualify For Visa Waiver Program (VWP)?

Not all citizens or nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) designated countries can enter the U.S. under the VWP. Any traveler who has been arrested (even if not convicted), those with criminal records, those with certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into or have been deported from the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP are not eligible for the program. Such travelers must apply for a visa, and, if required, a waiver. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States.

When Does a National of a VWP Country Need to Apply for a Visa Instead of Using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)?

Any national of a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country that falls within the terms of the preceding section must apply for a visa.

In addition a visa must be requested if the foreign national:

• Wants to remain in the United States for longer than 90 days, or envisions that they may wish to change their status (from tourism to investor, etc.) once in the United States;
• Wants to work or study in the United States, wants to travel as a working foreign media representative, wants to come to the United States for other purposes not allowed on a visitor visa, or intends to immigrate to the United States;
• Is a national of one of the VWP countries not listed above AND DOES NOT have a qualifying machine-readable passport;
• Intends to travel by private aircraft or other non-VWP approved air or sea carriers to the United States;
• Has a criminal record or other condition making them ineligible for a visa (see the previous section); or
• Has been refused admission to the United States before, or did not comply with the conditions of previous VWP admissions (90 days or less stay for tourism or business, etc.).

Short Trips To Canada, Mexico or Adjacent Islands While on VWP

Generally, VWP entrants may be readmitted to the U.S. after a departure to Canada or Mexico or adjacent islands for the balance of their original admission period, provided they are otherwise admissible and meet all the conditions of the VWP, with the exception of arrival on a signatory carrier – in which case the inspecting officers have the discretion to grant the applicants entirely new periods of admission.

Advantages And Disadvantages of The Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

The obvious advantage of entering the U.S. under the VWP is that you may travel to the U.S. spontaneously without obtaining a visa, unless you are otherwise inadmissible.

The disadvantages of the VWP are that you may not change or extend your nonimmigrant status after entering the U.S. If you are denied admission at the port of entry, you have no right to administrative or judicial review. Likewise, if you are found to have violated the terms of your admission, you also forfeit the right to contest a removal order.

Visa Waiver entrants, like all other foreign nationals in the U.S., who overstay their authorized stay by either six months or one year are subject to the three and ten-year bars as they are ‘unlawfully present’ in the U.S. Even though these entrants do not have visas, they have I-94Ws with a specific expiration date, and remaining in the U.S. beyond that date will trigger the bars on reentry.

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has been a great benefit for travelers from VWP qualifying countries. It saves them the time and hassle of applying for a visa. However, travel without a visa does not include those who plan to study or work in the U.S., or who may need to remain in the U.S. for more than 90 days or change their status once they get here. Such travelers need visas. If an immigration inspector at a port of entry has reason to believe that a visa-free traveler is going to study, work or stay longer than 90 days, the officer will refuse to admit the traveler.

Visit VisaPro regularly for updates and the latest immigration news at  https://www.visapro.com/

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Visa requirements for U.S. citizens traveling abroad

If you are a U.S. citizen planning to travel outside the U.S., you may need a visa to enter a foreign country. Learn how to find your destination's visa requirements.

While not all countries require visas for American travelers, many do. Look up your destination using the U.S. State Department's Learn About Your Destination search tool . On the country’s information page, you will find entry, exit, and visa requirements. You will also find travel advisories and a link to the country’s embassy.

LAST UPDATED: May 15, 2024

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What’s It Like Traveling to China These Days?

China has been rolling out new visa-free programs and promising to make travel easier for foreigners. But challenges remain.

By Vivian Wang

Reporting from Shanghai

By some measures, visiting China has never been easier.

China has been making a huge push to attract foreign tourists in recent months. It has rolled out a visa-free program for dozens of countries, with the list still growing. It has pledged to make it easier for visitors to pay for things, book hotels and get around.

The goal is to signal that China is open for business — and fun! — again, after three years of pandemic controls made it literally impossible for most foreigners to enter. The government is especially keen to attract visitors as it tries to rev up growth .

China also wants to show that it is still connected to the world, despite tensions with the West and the growing reach of its security apparatus at home.

In a sign of its eagerness, Beijing has offered the visa waivers to countries that have not done the same in return — a rare move for a government that usually insists on reciprocity.

But actually traveling to China can still be a major challenge. Here’s what to know:

What’s new?

China is unilaterally offering visa-free entry for 15 days to citizens from a slew of countries, mostly Western European ones like France, Germany and Spain. The program began in December and has continued to expand; Australia, New Zealand and Poland were included last month. It is set to run through 2025.

In addition, citizens of more than 50 countries, including the United States, are now eligible for visa-free transit. They can enter China for 72 or 144 hours, depending on their port of entry, if they are continuing on to other destinations.

Transit travelers must stay within certain areas. For example, people flying into Shanghai can only visit the city and the neighboring provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

China has also promised to reduce logistical headaches for foreigners. WeChat and AliPay — the so-called super apps that most Chinese use for every aspect of daily life, from digital payments to ride hailing to ordering at restaurants — can now be linked to international credit cards, not just Chinese ones. (Most businesses do not accept credit cards directly.) And in May, the government told hotels not to refuse foreign guests, which was once a common practice.

Why is China doing all this?

Simply put: It needs money.

As China’s economy slows, its consumers have been hesitant to spend, fanning fears of deflation. The government also wants to win back foreign investment, after many overseas companies were spooked by China’s long Covid lockdowns and tightening political environment. Visitors on the 15-day visa-free program are allowed not only to sight-see, but to conduct business.

Attracting more visitors would also help the government rebut accusations from the United States and other Western countries that China has become more hostile to foreigners.

Beijing last year revised its counterespionage law to broaden the definition of spying, and state propaganda has warned that seemingly harmless foreigners might be trying to undermine China’s national security. Still, the government insists that reports of xenophobia and rising nationalism are just spin, orchestrated by countries trying to stop China’s rise.

Are more visitors coming?

In the first half of this year, there were 14.6 million arrivals from overseas, according to Chinese statistics. Most of them were visa-free.

That’s 2.5 times as many as China had during the same period last year, but well below the 24 million in the first half of 2019, before the pandemic.

China’s efforts to smooth out visitors’ experiences have also had mixed results.

On a recent Friday in Shanghai, Luka Lefevre, 24, and Charlotte Collet, 21, were cramming as much sightseeing as possible into a 10-hour layover between Paris and Vietnam. They had visited Yu Garden, a temple complex, and were taking photos on East Nanjing Road, a major shopping street.

But they’d had trouble using their phones to pay for things, and had to resort to cash, they said. They were also surprised by the ubiquitous surveillance cameras.

“For us, it’s a little bit too much, because we don’t have this in France,” Ms. Collet said. “But we know that it’s for safety.”

“For 10 hours, it’s O.K.,” Mr. Lefevre added.

Even visitors who’d figured out the Chinese apps said it had taken a while.

Walking along the Bund, Shanghai’s historic waterfront area, Maeline Lachaud and Nadia Hofmann, both Swiss university students, said they had linked their credit cards to AliPay while traveling through Xi’an, Chongqing and now Shanghai. The convenience was “amazing,” they said.

But Ms. Lachaud, a first-time visitor, said she had relied heavily upon Ms. Hofmann, who is minoring in Chinese studies and had visited once before. She hadn’t realized that AliPay had to be used not only to pay, but also to order at restaurants, and that the in-app menus were in Chinese.

Many major tourist attractions across China, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing, also require advance reservations through platforms like WeChat that are largely in Chinese. (Because of the super apps’ ubiquity, many websites in China are poorly maintained.)

“China’s not for beginners,” Ms. Hofmann said.

Vivian Wang is a China correspondent based in Beijing, where she writes about how the country’s global rise and ambitions are shaping the daily lives of its people. More about Vivian Wang

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Entry requirements

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel. 

The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering the US.

Passport validity requirements

To enter the US, your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.

If you’re travelling through another country on your way to or from the US, check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only allow entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport. 

Dual nationals  

US law requires US citizens to enter and exit the US using a US passport. Contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK for more information.

Visa requirements

To enter or transit through the US, you must have either an  Electronic System for Travel Authorisation ( ESTA ) visa waiver  or a visa .

The US State Department has more information on visas .

Applying for an ESTA visa waiver 

Apply for an ESTA visa waiver through US Customs and Border Protection. You can also apply using the ESTA Mobile app on android or on iOS .

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you have:

• been arrested (even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction)
• a criminal record
• been refused admission into, or have been deported from the US
• previously overstayed under an ESTA visa waiver

You cannot normally apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you were in the following countries on or after March 2011: 

• North Korea

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. 

If you are not eligible for an ESTA , you must instead apply for a US visa.

Applying for a visa

The US Embassy in London has information on how to apply for a visa .

US visa appointments

Visa appointments at the US Embassy in London are limited. Plan your application as far ahead as possible before travel. If you need to travel urgently, you can request an expedited interview through the US Embassy’s appointment service provider.

The US Embassy has more information on visa appointments .

Children and young people

Anyone aged 17 and under must:

• have a valid visa or ESTA visa waiver on arrival
• be able to provide evidence about the purpose, location and length of their visit if asked by immigration officials
• have written consent from one or both parents if travelling alone, with only one parent, or with someone who is not a parent or legal guardian

The US authorities can stop you entering the country if they have safeguarding concerns about a child. If this happens, the US authorities will take the child into their care, and their return from the US could take months. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) cannot speed up the return of British nationals aged 17 and under from the US.

The US government has information about children travelling to the US . If you have questions, contact the US Embassy in the UK .

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s US guide .

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of the US . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Global Entry programme

The US Customs and Border Protection programme Global Entry allows pre-approved travellers through border control faster at some US airports. If you’re a British citizen, you can  register to get a UK background check . If you pass the background checks, you’ll be invited to apply for Global Entry.

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