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Comment by baby | Hacker News Reader

I do not get your point. The ESTA is the only way to get to the country if you're going to a conference or on holidays or to visit someone.

If you're looking for better, you need to find a job to sponsor you and you need to go through the lottery (H1B). Or you need to work for a US company abroad for more than a year (L1). Or you need to get married with an american person.

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You can absolutely get a B-1 or B-2 visa. Only VWP-eligible country citizens are even eligible to get an ESTA in the first place.

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html

You fill out a DS-160 and go through the process, but you don't have to get an ESTA. You are always allowed to apply for a full visa instead.

More succinctly, click the "May I apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?" question on this page: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-...

You can get a B-1 or B-2 visa if you're not on the list of countries eligible for an ESTA.

There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure.

But those are more of a hassle compare to ESTA. Nobody from an ESTA country will do those if they're not immediately denied.

> There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure.

Nope.

Where are you getting the information? There absolutely are other visas. The ESTA is just an easier way to do it, and as such, can sometimes be more limited. You can also get normal visa and get other vetting procedures and likely other outcomes.

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