US excludes African nations, UK, others from 2025 visa-free travel

The United States has released its list of eligible countries for the 2025 Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), notably excluding all African nations and the United Kingdom. While the UK remains eligible under specific conditions, countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa are not included in the visa-free travel initiative.

The 2025 VWP welcomes Romania as a new participant but otherwise largely maintains the existing list of eligible countries. The US has emphasised enhanced security checks and prioritised nations demonstrating strong diplomatic ties and robust border security standards in its selection process.

The Visa Waiver Programme allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the US for tourism or business stays of up to 90 days without a visa, according to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Travellers must obtain a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval before their trip and fulfil all other requirements. Those who prefer a visa in their passport can still apply for a visitor visa.

The 2025 programme includes policy updates on eligibility, revisions to the list of participating countries, and new travel policies, aiming to simplify visa-free entry for millions of travellers worldwide.

The 40 countries whose citizens can travel to the US without a visa under the 2025 VWP are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg.

Others are Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Romania.