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Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States Government which allows citizens of specific countries, including Switzerland, to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa.
For more Information:
  •  
    		•  Travel.State.Gov
    Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
    As of January 12, 2009, a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval is required for all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to travel to the United States.
    The ESTA is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the VWP. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel.
    Please note that a fee of $14.00 will be charged in connection with the application for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization. All payments for electronic travel authorization applications must be made by credit or debit card when applying for, or renewing, an ESTA application. At present, only MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover cards are accepted.
    An approved ESTA travel authorization is
  		• valid for up to two years or until the traveler's passport expires, whichever comes first
  		• valid for multiple entries into the U.S.
    For more Information and to Register:
  •  
    		•  Detailed information on the ESTA (German)
  •  
    		•  Detailed information on the ESTA
  •  
    		•  ESTA registration form (multi-language)
    Be sure that your passport allows you to travel
    ESTA does not check whether passports meet Visa Waiver Program (VWP)standards. If you have a non-biometric passport issued after October 26, 2006, you must obtain a visa. Swiss citizens who obtained passports after that date should be especially careful, because Switzerland issued both biometric and non-biometric passports after that date! Receiving ESTA authorization does not replace the need for a biometric passport after October 26, 2006. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that he has a correct passport which allows him to enter the United States under the VWP.
    Official Sites
  •  
    		•  Useful Information on Visas to the U.S. from the U.S. Embassy in Berne
  •  
    		•  Immigrants to the U.S.
  •  
    		•  Student and Exchange Visitors
  •  
    		•  Temporary Workers
  •  
    		•  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
  •  
    		•  Visitor Visas - Business and Pleasure
    Contact
    For any additional information regarding Visas which can not be found on the Internet please contact the U.S. Embassy in Berne:
    U.S. Embassy (Visa)
    Sulgeneckstrasse 19
    3007 Berne
    Visa Phone: 0900 87 84 72 (CHF/min 2.50)
    URL: http://bern.usembassy.gov
    About this Information
    This summary is an overview only. For specific information please refer directly to the U.S. Embassy in Berne (please see contact details and links above).