How to Enter the United States by Country (2026 Guide)
There’s no digital nomad visa for the U.S. yet, but each country has a legal way to visit the United States temporarily. This guide explains the U.S. entry requirements by country, so you know exactly what applies to you.
Then, when you’re ready to plan your trip, head to our Visa and Entry Options for Digital Nomads in the U.S. page for details on each visa and entry pathway.
Press Ctrl + F (or “Find on Page”) and type your country name to jump right to it.
*We fact-check and update this guide on a monthly basis to ensure accuracy.
North America
Canada: Canadian citizens do not need a visa or ESTA to enter the U.S. for visits under six months. You only need a valid passport.
Bermuda: Can stay up to 180 days without a visa for tourism or business.
Mexico: Mexican citizens generally require a B-1/B-2 visitor visa or a Border Crossing Card (BCC). The BCC allows short visits under specific conditions at land borders.
Caribbean & Central America
Most countries here require a U.S. visitor visa, allowing up to six months per visit for tourism or business. There is one exception:
Bahamas: Bahamians can fly to the U.S. without a visa if they travel straight from The Bahamas and complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance at Nassau or Freeport. They must have a valid passport and a recent police certificate (if age 14 or older). This visa-free entry does not apply to travel by sea or to indirect routes through third countries, which usually require a B-1/B-2 visa.
Countries:
Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.
South America
All South American citizens need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to enter the U.S. for tourism or business. The only exception is Chile, which is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
Visa Waiver Program: Chile (use ESTA, up to 90 days).
Visa required: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Europe
Most European countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers must apply for ESTA before departure, and stays are limited to up to 90 days total.
Visa Waiver Program:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Visa required:
Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine.
Africa
All African citizens must apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to enter the U.S. for tourism or business (usually up to six months).
Countries:
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Asia
Most Asian countries require a visa, except for a few in the Visa Waiver Program and those with special entry rights.
Visa Waiver Program in Asia: Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Israel, Qatar.
Visa required: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.
Oceania
Some countries in Oceania have special U.S. agreements, while others need a B-1/B-2 visa.
Visa Waiver Program: Australia, New Zealand.
Freely Associated States: Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau (no visa needed; may live and work in the U.S.).
Visa required: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Special Territories and Others
Hong Kong SAR: Requires a visa unless the traveler holds a second passport from an ESTA-eligible country.
Macau SAR: Requires a visa.
Vatican City: May travel under Italian passport rules using ESTA.
Kosovo: Requires a visa.
Quick Guide: U.S. Entry Rules by Country
Use this guide to quickly check how long you can stay in the U.S. and what entry type applies to your country.
