The United States has an automated entry approval system for international travelers who are citizens of countries that don't require a U.S. visa to visit. That list includes 42 countries, each viewed as an ally of the U.S. Nationals of those visa-exempt nations are also the kinds of tourists America wants to attract—its favorite tourists, for lack of a better term.

In fact, the U.S. wants those tourists so much that it created the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) specifically for them, designed to make it faster and easier to enter the country. Taking advantage of the program is simple; citizens of VWP countries apply for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and pay the application fee. Once approved, an ESTA is valid for two years, permits multiple entries, and allows

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