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Visa Waiver Program (VWP) — Immigration Data
41 countries whose citizens can enter the US without a visa via ESTA. Primarily European + Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Chile, Israel.
67,680
VWP Naturalizations (FY2023)
2.22%
Non-VWP Overstay Rate
235,000
VWP SEVIS Students
Naturalizations
US Naturalizations — Top 20 Countries (FY2023)
Mexico leads at 111K. VWP countries (highlighted) are a small share — 7.7% of 878K total. South Korea and UK are the top VWP naturalizers.
Source: DHS OHSS Yearbook Table 21
VWP Country Naturalizations (FY2023)
South Korea (12.3K) and UK (11K) dominate. Poland, Taiwan, and France round out the top 5.
VWP Total Naturalizations by Year
Relatively stable at 65-80K/year, dipped during COVID.
Overstay Rates
VWP compliance is excellent: The average VWP overstay rate is 0.43% vs 2.22% for non-VWP countries. Japan has the lowest rate at 0.10%. Only Chile (2.32%) exceeds 2% — a potential concern given Chile's liberal naturalization policies. Portugal (1.88%) and Spain (1.63%) are the next highest among VWP countries.
VWP Overstay Rates — Countries Above 1%
Chile stands out at 2.32%. Most VWP countries are well under 1%.
VWP vs Non-VWP Overstay Comparison
VWP travelers overstay at 1/5th the rate of visa holders. The program's compliance record justifies its existence.
Students (SEVIS)
VWP Country Students in the US
South Korea (61K), Taiwan (29K), and Japan (26K) dominate. Most European VWP countries send relatively few students.
Green Card (LPR) Grants — VWP Countries (FY2023)
South Korea (15.8K) and UK (9.7K) lead in green card grants as well.
All 41 VWP Countries — Immigration Summary
| Country |
Naturalized (FY23) |
Green Cards (FY23) |
SEVIS Students |
Overstay % |