Is Argentina currently eligible for ESTA and the U.S. Visa Waiver Program? No. As of this review, Argentina is not on the official list of countries designated for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Argentine citizens who want to travel to the United States for tourism or business currently need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa — ESTA is not available to them.
Argentina’s Current VWP/ESTA Status
The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa, using the online ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) system instead. Argentina is not currently a designated VWP country. Argentine nationality by itself does not make a traveler ESTA-eligible, regardless of any diplomatic discussions that may be underway — only a formal designation by DHS changes that status, and no such designation has occurred as of this review.
In Latin America, Chile is currently the only VWP member country, a status it has held since 2014.
What Argentine Travelers Need Today
Argentine citizens currently need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to travel to the United States for tourism or business. This requires completing Form DS-160, paying the current MRV application fee, and generally attending an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires or a consulate.
See our B-1/B-2 Visa Application Process guide for the current step-by-step process.
Unless an Argentine citizen independently holds citizenship of a country that is currently VWP-designated and can travel on that passport while meeting all VWP eligibility rules, Argentine nationality alone does not qualify a traveler for ESTA.
Has Argentina Applied for the Visa Waiver Program?
Argentina has pursued discussions with the United States regarding potential future Visa Waiver Program participation. Public statements from Argentine officials have referenced work on the technical requirements DHS evaluates for VWP candidacy, which generally include factors such as a low nonimmigrant visa refusal rate, issuance of biometric passports, reporting of lost and stolen passports to international databases, and security-related data-sharing arrangements with U.S. agencies.
These discussions and technical efforts are distinct from a formal VWP designation. Admission to the VWP requires an official designation by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, based on the country meeting all statutory requirements. Diplomatic discussions, technical progress on individual requirements, or public statements of intent by either government do not themselves constitute that designation, and this guide does not predict when or whether one will occur.
How VWP Country Designation Works
Under U.S. law, DHS may designate a country for VWP participation only after it meets a defined set of requirements, generally including a low visa refusal rate, biometric passport issuance, participation in international lost/stolen passport reporting,
and established security information-sharing arrangements with U.S. law enforcement and security agencies. DHS maintains the current list of designated countries on its official website; that list can change as countries are added, and participation can also be suspended or terminated if a country stops meeting program requirements. There is no fixed public timeline for how long the designation process takes for any individual candidate country.
Verify Before You Plan Travel
Because VWP designations can change, do not assume Argentina’s status based on this article or any other secondary source. Before booking travel, confirm current designation status directly on the official DHS Visa Waiver Program page or by checking eligibility directly at esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Official Sources
- Visa Waiver Program — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Visa Waiver Program — U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- ESTA Application — U.S. Customs and Border Protection
