Earlierthis month the United States announced that Chile would join 37 othercounties on the Visa Waiver list. Theoriginal implementation date was May 1, 2014. Vice President Joe Biden accelerated the implementationdate to March 31, 2104.
Chilean passportholders with both an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)and an e-passport will be able to visit the United States without nonimmigrantvisitor visas. Chilean nationals seekingto enter the US for pleasure or business will no longer have to apply for aB1/B2 visa.
Chile is one of America’smost favored nations in US immigration. Not only is Chile now the firstLatin American country to qualify for the Visa Waiver program, it is only oneof five countries who may avoid the onerous H-1B cap by filing a Trade Visa. The other four Trade Visa Countries are:Canada (TN), Mexico (TN, Australia (E-3), and Singapore (H-1B1).