Embassy of the United States

visas

Non-Immigrant Visas 

Important:

• Norwegians traveling to the U.S. without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program are required to have a machine-readable passport. (see Press Release) To determine whether your passport is machine-readable, please see this sample photo. If your passport is not machine-readable, you can apply for a Norwegian machine-readable passport at politiet.no.

• Beginning January 12, 2009, Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers must already have a travel authorization from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to travel on the VWP.  ESTA is now accessible online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

• All visa applications must be electronic. Please read our press release.

Temporary Visitors to the U.S.

A Non-immigrant visa allows you to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (seaport, airport or land border crossing) and request permission from a Department of Homeland Security immigration inspector to enter the U.S. temporarily. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States.

Travelers holding a Norwegian passport seeking to enter the U.S. for business or pleasure for fewer than 90 days may be able to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. Visa Waiver Program guidelines

On November 17, 2008, in accordance with an initiative by President Bush, the Visa Waiver Program was expanded from 27 countries to 34, with the addition of 7 allied countries as new program members.  Citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and South Korea may now also travel to the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. To do so, they must have an E-Passport (biometric) and an online ESTA authorization (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Read more about this initiative on the White House homepage.

The type of visa required to enter the U.S. depends on the purpose of your travel. These categories of visa are listed on the left-hand side of the page.

Additional visa information.

Begin Non-immigrant Visa Application

Moving to the U.S. - Immigrant Visas