On Monday, March 10, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced that the Department of Homeland Security will accelerate the implementation of Chile’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program. The Vice President made the announcement in Santiago after meeting with President Sebastian Piñera.
Vice President Biden declared that, starting on March 31, eligible Chilean passport holders with both an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and an e-passport may be admitted the United States for the purpose of business or tourism, for up to 90 days, without a visa.
On February 28, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced Chile’s designation to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The original announcement established that eligible Chilean passport holders in possession of an e-passport would be admissible to the United States under the VWP beginning May 1, 2014. Chile’s designation is a testament to our strong relations and its participation will have a tremendous impact in creating even stronger people-to-people ties between our countries. It should also facilitate other potential initiatives to expedite trade and travel.
