The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries* to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Travelers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements explained below. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor (B) visa.

Requirements for Using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

You must meet all of the following requirements to travel to the United States on the VWP:

Travel Purpose Must be Permitted on a Visitor (B) Visa

Must Be a Citizen or National of a VWP Designated Country

You must be a citizen or national of the following countries to be eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP.

**To be eligible to travel under the VWP, British citizens must have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

Each Traveler Must Have a Valid ESTA

In order to travel without a visa on the VWP, you must have authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding a U.S. bound air or sea carrier. ESTA is a web-based system operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to determine eligibility to travel under the VWP to the United States for tourism or business.

2. Check Your Passport’s Validity visiting the usa

To enter the USA, your passport must have at least six months of validity left at the time of travel. This means, if your passport expires in less than six months, you will not be allowed to travel to the US. Additionally, you should make sure that your passport is valid for the entire duration of your trip.

3. US SIM cards visiting the usa

You’ll probably need to use your phone while on vacation, whether it’s for booking a taxi, researching restaurants, or looking up flight information. While roaming fees can often catch you off guard, there are ways to reduce expenditures.

Free Wi-Fi is frequently provided by hotels, hostels, and cafes. You’ll probably be able to gain internet access someplace at your lodging, so keep an eye out for locations where you may connect for free.

Take note of the locations where Wi-Fi is offered, though. It’s unlikely that it will work outside, for instance, and it might only be accessible in your room or the lobby.

If you are buying in official store, the registration process for prepaid sim cards in the USA is very standard: you will need to bring your passport. A copy of your passport or a photo will be taken and will be attached to your registration. Your new US sim card and number will be registered on your name and passport number.

To avoid this you can order a prepaid USA sim card online and get one shipped to your home address before your trip (prices: 1 GB for €4.29; 3 GB for €12.48; 5 GB for €20.15 10 GB for €38.61 etc).

The easiest way to buy a data plan for the US is to buy an eSIM data plan because you can activate it instantly so you don’t have to pay for shipping. All you have to do is buy the service and then activate it once you’re in the US.

4. Travel Adapter for US

A US plug socket is a completely different shape to both a UK plug socket and a European plug socket. This means that your European plugs simply won’t fit. In addition to this, US plugs, sockets and devices are designed to use completely different voltage levels. The official voltage for the USA and Canada is 120 volts, with most electrical goods operating at around 110 volts. All of North America operates on a 2 pronged North American outlet, with a third optional round pin. If you are traveling to North America, you will need a North American power point adapter.

5. Expect to Pay More Than What’s Displayed

Contrary to most countries, the prices displayed at supermarket, store, restaurant, hotels, and any other business does not include the sales tax. Every state has its own state sales tax, and they vary from 7% to 11.5% or so. Resorts are notorious for charging a hefty “resort fee” that is often not mentioned when booking. This could vary from $10+ to $100+, depending on the resort. Always read the small print or the “not included” section of the advertised price to see these extra taxes and fees. 

6. US Tipping Culture

In the United States, you’re expected to tip all forms of services, like cab drivers, deliveries, valet, porters, room service, and most notably, waiters and bartenders. (Most of them earn under the federal minimum wage, which is already way too low!) The typical tipping practice is between 15% to 20%. 

7. Accommodations in the US

8. Do NOT Travel Without Travel Insurance

Having travel insurance with medical coverage is essential for any trip, but even more so in the US. It’s also great if your insurance has trip cancellation coverage in case of flight cancellations and other unexpected events.

9. Plan Your USA Itinerary Accordingly

As already mentioned, the USA is enormous, so you should plan your trip accordingly. How much time do you have available? A few days, weeks, months?

If your trip is short, you’ll probably want to focus on just one city or a few cities nearby, like New York, Washington DC, and Boston.  If you have a few weeks, you could expand your trip and fly to the other coast (like flying from New York to Los Angeles) or do a road trip crossing several states.

While planning your trip, make a list of: 

• Free things to do in each city or town
• National Parks of interest
• Best hikes, bike trails, walks (if you’re into that)
• City tours or Day tours of interest
• Attractions of interest
• Restaurants of interest

The best time to visit the United States Of America is usually between June and September but in the warmer areas such as Florida, California and Las Vegas, spring and autumn usually offer the best all-round holiday weather.

Check out some of the best US tours: