Free tool · Updated October 31, 2026
Do I need a US visa? Check by nationality and trip purpose
Citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries can usually visit the US for business or tourism for up to 90 days on an ESTA, without a visa. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally don't need a visa to visit. Everyone else needs a visa for the trip's purpose, such as B1/B2 to visit or F-1 to study. Pick your nationality and purpose to check, with the 2026 travel ban and visa bond lists.
The passport you'll travel on.
Type your nationality to see the answer. The lists it uses are below.
Applying for a visa? Practice the interview out loud
The lists, with their dates
Visa Waiver Program countries (42)
DHS's current program countries, page last updated October 28, 2026: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom.
Travel ban countries (39 plus Palestinian Authority documents)
Proclamation 10998, in effect since January 1, 2026.
Full suspension: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Palestinian Authority travel documents.
Partial (immigrant, B, F, M and J visas): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Immigrant visas only: Turkmenistan.
Visa bond countries (50)
The State Department's list, version of May 13, 2026, by bond start date. B1/B2 applicants only.
August 20, 2025: Malawi, Zambia.
October 11, 2025: The Gambia.
October 23, 2025: Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania.
January 1, 2026: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, Turkmenistan.
January 21, 2026: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.
April 2, 2026: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Tunisia.
What the answers mean
- ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)
- Citizens of 42 countries can travel for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa, after an approved ESTA. (cbp.gov, dhs.gov)
- No visa (Canada and Bermuda)
- Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally don't need a visa for visits, tourism and temporary business travel. (travel.state.gov)
- A visa
- Everyone else applies at a US embassy or consulate for the visa that fits the trip: B1/B2 to visit, F-1 or J-1 to study, a work visa after an employer's petition, C-1 to transit. (travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov)
- Travel ban and visa bond flags
- Proclamation 10998 suspends some or all visas for 39 countries and Palestinian Authority documents. The visa bond list adds a bond for some B1/B2 applicants. (federalregister.gov, travel.state.gov)
How it works
- Type your nationality, the passport you'll travel on, and pick why you're going.
- The answer says ESTA, no visa or which visa, with the lists it comes from.
- Flags show if Proclamation 10998 (the 2026 travel ban) or the visa bond list applies, with dates.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries don't need a visa for the US?
Citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries can visit for business or tourism for up to 90 days on an approved ESTA. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally don't need a visa for visits, tourism and temporary business. (cbp.gov, travel.state.gov)
Is an ESTA a visa?
No. ESTA is an automated check of whether you can travel under the Visa Waiver Program. CBP says it doesn't decide whether you're admitted. Officers decide that when you arrive. (cbp.gov)
Can I study or work on an ESTA?
No. The Visa Waiver Program covers business or tourism stays of up to 90 days. Study needs a student visa such as F-1, and work needs a work visa such as H-1B. (cbp.gov)
Which countries are on the 2026 US travel ban?
Proclamation 10998, in effect since January 1, 2026, fully suspends visas for 19 countries plus Palestinian Authority travel documents, partly suspends them for 19 more, and limits Turkmenistan to immigrant visas. See the full list. (federalregister.gov)
What is a US visa bond?
Some B1/B2 applicants from countries on the State Department's list must post a $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 bond before the visa is issued. The officer sets the amount, and it comes back if you keep to the terms. See the visa bond guide. (federalregister.gov)
Related guides
Sources 15 pages
Every answer in this tool comes from these pages.
- Visa Waiver Program (current program countries), dhs.gov, checked October 31, 2026
- Visa Waiver Program, cbp.gov, checked October 31, 2026
- Visitor Visa, travel.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- Student Visa, travel.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- J-1 Visa Basics, BridgeUSA, j1visa.state.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- Temporary Worker Visas, travel.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- For Canadian and Mexican Citizens, cbp.gov, checked October 31, 2026
- Transit Visa, travel.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- 9 FAM 402.5, Students and Exchange Visitors, fam.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- 9 FAM 402.10, Temporary Workers and Trainees, fam.state.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- 9 FAM 502.7, Fiancé(e) and Spouse Visas (K), fam.state.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- Proclamation 10998, Federal Register, December 19, 2025, checked October 30, 2026
- Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals, travel.state.gov, checked October 30, 2026
- Visas: Visa Bond Program, final rule, Federal Register, August 3, 2026, checked October 30, 2026
- Countries Subject to Visa Bonds, travel.state.gov (version of May 13, 2026), checked October 30, 2026
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<iframe src="https://visaful.com/tools/do-i-need-a-us-visa/embed" title="Do I need a US visa? checker by Visaful" width="100%" height="900" style="border:0;max-width:760px" loading="lazy"></iframe>For AI agents and developers: the tool's inputs, every answer and its sources as JSON. Free, no key needed.
This tool explains what State Department and US embassy pages say. It isn't legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.
