United States entry requirements, by passport
What you need to get into United States depends on the passport in your hand. Find yours below: the visa or e-authorisation, how long you can stay, the official fee and the government page to apply on.
32 of 32 passports verified on official pages.
What each passport needs
| Passport | To get in | Stay | Document and fee | Apply | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Own country | ||||
| Canada | Visa-free | Generally up to 6 months, as set by the CBP officer | Nothing to apply for | Official page | Verified |
| Mexico | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visa or Border Crossing CardOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Brazil | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| United Kingdom | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Ireland | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Germany | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| France | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Italy | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Spain | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Netherlands | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Switzerland | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Russia | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Türkiye | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Israel | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| India | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| China (mainland) | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Hong Kong SAR | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Taiwan | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Japan | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| South Korea | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Singapore | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Malaysia | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Thailand | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Vietnam | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Philippines | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Indonesia | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
| Australia | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| New Zealand | Travel authorisation before you fly | 90 days per entry | ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)Apply: At least 72 hours before departure recommended; most decisions are fast | Official page | Verified |
| Nigeria | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer | B-1/B-2 visa (new issuance suspended) | Official page | Verified |
| South Africa | Visa needed before you fly | Set by CBP officer on entry | B-1/B-2 visitor visaOfficial fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuanceApply: Check local interview wait times; book as early as possible (often months) | Official page | Verified |
Verified means NUM read it on a government page on 10–11 Oct 2026. Likely means a reputable source says it and one official page agreed. Not checked yet means NUM could not confirm it: use the official page. Fees are as published on that date and can change.
The rules everyone meets at the border
Passport
Passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond your stay unless your country has an agreement with the US (the 'Six-Month Club', which covers most Visa Waiver countries); then validity for the length of stay is enough (FCDO: UK passports valid for the planned stay). ESTA travellers need an e-passport, including emergency/temporary passports. Safe standard: valid for your whole stay.
Border systems for every visitor
Visa Waiver nationals need an approved ESTA before boarding (air/sea) or arriving at a land border. Chinese 10-year B-1/B-2 visa holders need EVUS. Entry restrictions under Proclamation 10949 (June 2025) as expanded on 16 Dec 2025 (effective 1 Jan 2026) cover 39 countries plus Palestinian Authority travel documents; of our passports only Nigeria is affected (partial). A permanent visa-bond program (bonds up to USD 20,000) applies to B-1/B-2 applicants from designated countries.
Onward ticket
Visa Waiver travellers arriving by air or sea must use a signatory carrier and generally hold a return or onward ticket; officers may ask any visitor for proof of departure plans.
Proof of funds
Not a fixed amount; CBP officers may ask for proof of funds, purpose of trip and ties to home country. Travellers by air/sea must give a US address.
Travel insurance
Not required for entry. US medical costs are very high, so insurance is strongly advisable.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations required for visitors (immigrant-visa applicants have separate vaccine rules).
Cash to declare at customs
No limit, but more than USD 10,000 (or equivalent) in currency or monetary instruments must be declared (FinCEN 105) when entering or leaving.
Taxes, levies and fees
No arrival or departure tax at the border beyond fees built into tickets. Pre-travel costs: ESTA USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 from 16 Oct 2026; denied application USD 10.27/10.62); EVUS USD 30.75 (USD 31.75 from 16 Oct 2026); land-border I-94 USD 30; B-1/B-2 visa USD 185 plus USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuance.
Medicines, vapes and banned items
Cannabis in any form is illegal under federal law, even if legal where you came from, and past use can lead to refusal. CBP can search phones and laptops and ask for passwords; refusal may mean delay, seizure or refused entry. Declare all food, plants and animal products.
Travelling with children
Children need their own passport and ESTA/visa. A notarised consent letter in English from absent parent(s) is recommended when a child travels alone, with one parent or with another adult.
Work, study, working holiday and nomad visas
Every official route NUM found for United States. You apply directly with the government.
Work permits
Degree-level professionals sponsored by a US employer (annual lottery for cap cases)
Stay: Up to 3 years, extendable to 6
Employer petition (I-129) and LCA. Proclamation requires a USD 100,000 payment for new petitions for workers outside the US (extended to 21 Sep 2027; collection paused since a June 2026 court ruling). Separate USD 103,265 cap-subject fee proposed Aug 2026.
Official fee: Employer-paid USCIS and statutory fees; see USCIS
Managers/executives (L-1A) or specialized-knowledge staff (L-1B) of a multinational with 1+ year abroad
Stay: L-1A up to 7 years, L-1B up to 5
Qualifying corporate relationship; employer petition
Official fee: Employer-paid
People with sustained national/international acclaim in sciences, arts, business, athletics, film/TV
Stay: Up to 3 years, extendable
Employer/agent petition with evidence of acclaim
Official fee: Employer-paid
Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions
Stay: Up to 3 years, renewable
Job offer in a USMCA profession; Canadians can apply at the border, Mexicans need a TN visa
Australian (E-3) or Singaporean/Chilean (H-1B1) degree-level professionals
Stay: E-3: 2 years, renewable; H-1B1: 1 year, renewable
Job offer, LCA; no lottery
Study
Students admitted to a SEVP-certified school; exchange program participants
Stay: Fixed admission period tied to program length, max 4 years (from 15 Sep 2026); extensions via USCIS
Form I-20 or DS-2019, SEVIS fee, funds, interview; Nigerian F/M/J visas suspended
Official fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee + SEVIS fee
Working holiday
No working-holiday agreements; none of our 33 passports is eligible for a US working holiday
J-1 sponsor required
Digital nomad
The US has no digital-nomad or remote-work visa; ESTA/B visitors may not take US employment
Family
Spouses, children, parents, siblings and fiancé(e)s of US citizens or green-card holders
Stay: Permanent (K-1: 90 days to marry)
I-130/I-129F petition, NVC processing, medical exam, interview; suspended for nationals of travel-ban countries incl. Nigeria
Investor
EB-5: anyone investing the required capital creating 10 US jobs; E-2: nationals of treaty countries investing substantially in a US business
Stay: EB-5: permanent; E-2: renewable while business operates
Lawfully sourced capital; business plan
Business
Meetings, conferences, negotiations; no US-paid work
Stay: Set on entry (ESTA: 90 days)
As for B-2
Official fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee
Transit
Anyone connecting through a US airport (no airside transit)
Stay: Up to 29 days on C-1
Onward ticket; VWP nationals can use ESTA
Official fee: USD 185 + visa integrity fee
Tourist
Nationals of 40+ VWP countries (ours: GB, IE, DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, CH, IL, TW, JP, KR, SG, AU, NZ)
Stay: Up to 90 days, no extension
E-passport, approved ESTA, return/onward ticket, no disqualifying travel or nationality
Official fee: USD 40.27 (USD 40.62 for applications from 16 Oct 2026)
Non-VWP nationals for tourism, family visits, medical treatment
Stay: Set on entry, commonly up to 6 months
DS-160, interview, ties to home country; visa bond up to USD 20,000 for designated nationalities
Official fee: USD 185 + USD 250 visa integrity fee at issuance
What changed, and what is coming
- 2027-09-21 · Confirmed Current expiry of the H-1B USD 100,000 entry proclamation unless extended again. Source
- 2026-10-16 · Confirmed ESTA rises to USD 40.62 (denied USD 10.62); EVUS to USD 31.75; land I-94 stays USD 30. Source
- 2026-09-21 · In force H-1B USD 100,000 entry proclamation extended to 21 Sep 2027 (collection still paused by court order). Source
- 2026-09-15 · In force F, J and I nonimmigrants now admitted for a fixed period (program length, max 4 years) instead of 'duration of status'; F-1 post-completion grace cut from 60 to 30 days; language students capped at 24 months. Source
- 2026-08-03 · In force Visa-bond program made permanent by final rule; bonds up to USD 20,000 for B-1/B-2 applicants from designated countries. Source
- 2026-08-01 · In force US Embassy Abuja ended routine visa services; routine visas in Nigeria only at Consulate General Lagos. Source
- 2026-06-08 · In force Federal court (D. Mass., California v. Mullin) vacated the guidance implementing the USD 100,000 H-1B payment; collection is paused while the government appeals (First Circuit denied a stay on 24 Jul 2026). Source
- 2026-04-02 · In force Visa-bond pilot widened to 50 countries (Nigeria included since January 2026). Source
- 2026-01-01 · In force Travel-ban expansion (Proclamation of 16 Dec 2025): full restrictions on 19 countries plus Palestinian Authority documents; partial on 20, including Nigeria (B-1/B-2, F, M, J and immigrant visas suspended). Turkmenistan nonimmigrant suspension lifted. Source
- 2026 (no date) · Proposed Mandatory 5-year social-media history (plus past emails/phone numbers) on ESTA: proposed Dec 2025, comments closed 9 Feb 2026; not in force; CBP may narrow it to higher-risk applicants. Source
- 2026 (no date) · Proposed DHS proposed rule: USD 103,265 fee on every H-1B cap-subject petition, on top of any proclamation payment (comments closed 24 Sep 2026). Source
- 2025-12-26 · In force DHS biometric entry-exit final rule (published 27 Oct 2025) took effect, allowing photos of all non-citizens on entry and departure. Source
- 2025-11-19 · In force FY2026 inflation adjustment published: ESTA USD 40.27 (denied USD 10.27), EVUS USD 30.75; secondary sources report it applied from 1 Jan 2026. Source
- 2025-10-01 · In force USD 250 visa integrity fee (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, July 2025) applies to nonimmigrant visas issued from FY2026; collection rolled out unevenly post by post through 2026. Source
- 2025-09-30 · In force ESTA fee rose from USD 21 to USD 40; a USD 24 HR-1 fee pushed the land-border I-94 to USD 30 (from USD 6); EVUS enrollment fee introduced (USD 30). Source
- 2025-06-09 · In force Proclamation 10949 restricted entry of nationals of 19 countries (12 full, 7 partial). None of our 33 passports was on it. Source
Your checklist, with the dates it is due
NUM builds it for your passport and your travel dates: the authorisation and when to apply, the arrival card and the day it opens, what to carry at the border, your own country's exit rules, and a calendar file for every deadline.
Every document here is issued by a government, and the official link is the only place to get it. Most arrival cards and many authorisations are free. NUM is not a visa service and cannot apply for anything. Rules change without notice: the official page always has the final word.