Loading…
Loading…
Pick your passport and destination, and this free checker tells you instantly which travel authorization your trip needs — with the official government fee, processing time, and how long it stays valid. It covers the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Europe's Schengen area.
Issued in hours, valid for years
Select your citizenship on the map to see your specific travel requirements
Tap your passport country to start
Depending on your nationality and destination, the checker routes you to one of five authorizations — each with different fees, timelines, and requirements.
For citizens of the roughly 40 Visa Waiver Program countries visiting the US for up to 90 days. Fully online, no interview.
Government fee US$40 · Most approvals within 72 hours · Valid 2 years
For nationalities outside the Visa Waiver Program. Requires the DS-160 form plus an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
US$185 government fee, paid directly to the US government · Timing varies by embassy · Often valid up to 10 years
For visa-exempt visitors to the UK, including US and EU citizens. Applied for online before travel.
Government fee £20 · Most approvals within 72 hours · Valid 2 years
The EU's upcoming pre-travel screening for visa-exempt visitors, covering 30 European countries with one authorization. Not open yet — today, visa-exempt travelers still enter with just a passport.
Expected fee €20 · Not yet accepting applications · Will be valid 3 years
For visa-exempt travelers flying to or transiting through Canada. Linked electronically to your passport.
Government fee CA$7 · Most approvals within 72 hours · Valid 5 years
Charta Visa is a private application-assistance service, not a government website, and is not affiliated with any government. You can always apply directly through official government channels. Fees shown above are official government fees; our service fee is separate and shown before checkout.
It depends on your nationality. Citizens of the roughly 40 Visa Waiver Program countries (most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and others) don't need a visa for visits up to 90 days — they need an ESTA travel authorization, a US$40 online approval that usually comes back within 72 hours. Everyone else needs a B1/B2 visitor visa: you file the DS-160 form, pay the US$185 fee to the US government, and attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
For short stays in the Schengen area (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), citizens of some 60 visa-exempt countries — including the US, UK, Canada, Japan, and most of Latin America — currently enter with just a valid passport. The EU's ETIAS pre-registration (expected fee €20) will eventually be required for these travelers, but it is not open yet, and any site claiming to accept ETIAS applications today is not legitimate. Nationalities that aren't visa-exempt need a Schengen visa from a consulate.
Most visitors who previously entered the UK visa-free — including US, EU, Canadian, and Australian citizens — now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling. It costs £20, is applied for online, is usually approved within 72 hours, and is valid for two years or until your passport expires. Nationalities that already required a UK visit visa still need one; the ETA doesn't replace it.
If you're from a visa-exempt country and arriving by air, you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) — a CA$7 online approval linked to your passport, valid for up to five years. US citizens are exempt from both the eTA and a visa. Travelers from visa-required countries need a Canadian visitor visa instead, and the eTA doesn't apply if you arrive by land or sea.
No. An approved ESTA, ETA, eTA, or visa lets you travel to the border and request entry, but the final decision always rests with the border officer when you arrive. They can refuse entry if your documents, purpose of travel, or answers raise concerns. No service — government or private — can guarantee admission.