It is the responsibility of the passenger to gather information about and obtain the required travel documents and visas that he/she needs for the destination country.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Not all countries participate in the VWP. Some restrictions and conditions apply to this program as explained below.
Passengers travelling to the U.S. under the VWP must have a valid ticket for a confirmed return or onward flight from the U.S. within 90 days or arrival in the U.S. , prior to entering the U.S. An onward flights to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and/or the Caribbean is insufficient to satisfy this requirement, unless the passenger is a lawful resident of one of those countries.
Passengers travelling to the U.S. under the VWP must turn in a completed and signed form I-94W to the immigration officer. These forms are available at check-in counters and are distributed onboard as well.
ALL passengers travelling to the United Stated under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must carry with them an unexpired passport that is valid for at least six months beyond intended stay in the U.S. and is Machine Readable (MRP). If the passport was issued on or after October 26, 2005 , the passport must contain a digital photograph. A digital photo is one that is printed on the passport page, not a photograph that is glued or laminated into the passport.
If the passport was issued on or after October 26, 2006, the passport must contain an electronic chip (e-passport). Regardless of the date of issue, children MUST have their own passport that satisfy the above requirements in order to enter the U.S. on the VWP). An e-passport is identified by the following symbol on its cover:
Currently, 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
| Visa Waiver Program - Participating Countries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Iceland | Norway |
| Australia | Ireland | Portugal |
| Austria | Italy | San Marino |
| Belgium | Japan | Singapore |
| Brunei | Liechtenstein | Slovenia |
| Denmark | Luxembourg | Spain |
| Finland | Monaco | Sweden |
| France | Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Germany | New Zealand | United Kingdom |
| Malta | Czech Republic | Estonia |
| Hungary | Latvia | Lithuania |
| Slovak Republic | South Korea | Greece |
In addition to the 27 countries listed above, the following eight countries are now also eligible for the VWP: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Republic of Korea and the Slovak Republic. Citizens of these eight countries must carry passports with the integrated chip (e-Passports) in order to enter the U.S. under the VWP - regardless of the date the passport was issued. Lastly, as of 5th of April 2010, citizens of Greece are also eligible for the VWP, provided they carry an e-Passport issued on or after August 26 2006 by the AEA AA-NCP (Hellenic Police)
Passengers are directed to contact the authority responsible for issuing passports in the home country to obtain more information about their passports.
All passengers travelling to the U.S. under the VWP must obtain an Electronic System Travel Authorization (ESTA), in advance of departure. Applications for ESTA can be made at the following website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
For further information on ESTA, please see http://www.icelandair.is/information/before-you-go/esta/
Any passenger who does not satisfy the above requirements will require a non-immigrant visa to enter the U.S. or risk denial of passage or summary refusal of entry upon arrival and liability for a substantial monetary penalty.
U.S. law requires that Icelandair collect certain information from all passengers (including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, visa holders and VWP passengers), travelling to and from the United States; see: http://www.icelandair.is/information/before-you-go/apis/
Icelandair strongly recommends that passengers complete the APIS information form during the booking process, or well in advance of heading to the airport.
In accordance with the U.S.-Visit program, the U.S. authorities gather certain information from visitors upon arrival in the U.S. See link: http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/usv.shtm
U.S. law requires that passengers disembark at their first port of call, to clear immigrations and customs. If the travel itinerary includes a stop at a U.S. airport before the final destination, the traveller must disembark, go through immigration, collect the luggage, clear customs and continue towards check-in for the second flight.
It is the responsibility of the passenger to gather information about and obtain the required travel documents and visas that he/she needs for the destination country. Further information may be located on the websites of the embassies, the U.S. Department of State or the Customs and Border Protection Agency; see links: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/ and http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/temp_1305.html