Is the UK part of the Visa Waiver Program?

The United Kingdom is part of the Visa Waiver Programme (VMP). There are 38 countries in total that participate in the Visa Waiver programme.

The Visa Waiver Programme permits citizens of these 38 countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. In return, the 38 countries must permit U.S. citizens and nationals to travel to their countries for a similar length of time without a visa for business or tourism purposes.

There are exceptions to these rules that are currently in force, and which are published on the US Department of Homeland Securities website.

What is an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)?

An ESTA is an automated system that verifies a person’s eligibility to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP).

In order to be eligible to apply under the Visa Waiver Programme, you must possess a passport with specified security features, it must have a digital photograph of yourself printed on the data page, and your passport must also have a machine-readable zone.

Can you get ESTA Approval with a Criminal Record?

If you have a criminal record, then you will need to disclose this on your ESTA application, and which will most likely result in the refusal of your visa waiver, and necessitate a full visa application.

The US authorities currently not only require court convictions to be disclosed on the ESTA, but also cautions and arrest records. For further details about this, and what your options are, please visit our page here: Can United States of America Immigration Officials see my Criminal Record?

About the Author: Matt Elkins

I am a qualified solicitor and Director of Legisia Legal Services. I have extensive experience of applying for the removal of police cautions from the PNC, challenging DBS certificates and DBS barring decisions. I have had many successful cases, and for cases where judicial review proceedings have been issued, I am usually able to recoup my clients’ costs from the police. I have co-authored a journal paper on the reform of the police cautioning procedure in the Criminal Law Review (the leading criminal law journal : “Suggestions for Reform to the Simple Cautioning procedure”). I also write the UK Westlaw Insight on Police Cautions and published an article in the Criminal Law and Justice Weekly on anonymity in criminal proceedings and its impact on the police caution: Adult Defendant Anonymity in Criminal Proceedings

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Is the UK part of the Visa Waiver Program?