How the program Argentina would join to enter the United States without a visa works

Javier Milei's government could sign an agreement this Monday with Donald Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, allowing Argentine citizens to enter the United States without a visa . According to high-ranking diplomatic sources confirmed to Clarín , President Donald Trump is reportedly once again granting Argentina the Visa Waiver Program , which it enjoyed in the 1990s.

According to information on the U.S. Secretary of State's website, the Visa Waiver Program allows most citizens of a country to travel to the United States for tourism or business and stay for up to 90 days without applying for a visa.

To enter the country, you will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ESTA), which must be approved before traveling. It's a digital system that determines eligibility for travel to the United States for tourism or business.

The requirements to apply for the Visa Waiver Program are, so far, to be a citizen of one of the 42 eligible countries. So far, the only South American country included on the list is Chile.

Most of the countries are in Europe. They are Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

In the Asian region, Brunei, Israel, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan are present. In Oceania, the countries present are Australia and New Zealand.

Additionally, when processing the ESTA, you will be asked for a valid email address, cell phone number, home address, and emergency contacts, and you will be required to pay $21 to start the process.

A selfie photo of the traveler, ID and passport number, address, and work phone number may also be requested.

A passport that expires at least six months after leaving the United States will also be required. An e-passport, a new technology that aims to streamline the traveler identification process, will also be required.

The e-passport has an electronic chip that attaches to the classic passport book and backs up the traveler's data in a cloud of information accessible to immigration authorities.

E-passports are easily identifiable by a symbol at the bottom of the cover , which consists of a rectangle with a circle in the middle, as seen in the photo.

Some citizens of countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program are not eligible for ESTA and must apply for a visa before traveling to the United States. These include those who have previously traveled to North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, or Yemen after March 2011.

Those who have been in Cuba after January 12, 2021, or who are citizens of the aforementioned countries must also apply for a visa.