U.S. Visa Waiver Programs to Have Tighter Restrictions

The House is set to vote on a bill presented by GOP Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan, which will revamp the existing U.S. visa waiver program to include tighter restrictions, particularly to those friendly countries where the dissidents responsible for the attacks in Paris came from. Included in the bill, which had received a 407 to 19 vote in support of the changes to the visa waiver program, is the denial of visa free travel for people who have been in Syria or Iraq for the past five years. Likewise there will be major changes in the visa-free program. The visa-waiver program of the U.S., which is participated by 38 countries including Belgium and France, allows the citizens of these countries to enter the U.S. visa free for a maximum stay of 90 days. The United States receives about 20 million visitors annually under the visa waiver program.

Backing from the White House

The House bill received backing from the White House but Republicans say that the U.S. Congress will also be looking into the K-1 fiancée visa, which was used by Tashfeen Malik to enter the country. President Obama also said on Sunday that the fiancée visa needs closer scrutiny.

Stricter measures already in place

Right now travelers under the visa waiver program are required to pass the electronic counter-terror screening system set up by the Department of Homeland Security. However, there had been instances when it had been used by terror plotters.

The new bill presented by Rep. Miller includes many changes. The program will not be available to nationals from Iraq, Syria and other countries under security watch, as well as to those people who have traveled to these countries from March 2011. They will have to go through the usual process of applying for a visa through a consulate or embassy if they want to go to the U.S. Visas would also be required from people who have visited Sudan and Iran. Participating countries in the visa waiver program would have to share counterterrorism information with the U.S. and would be required to issue e-passports with biometric information. Stolen and lost passports should be reported to Interpol and all travelers would be crosschecked against the databases of Interpol. The participants of the visa waiver program should be regularly assessed by the security agencies in the U.S.

The travel industry had given their support to the bill authored by Miller. With the overwhelming support the bill received, House Spokesperson John Kirby said on Wednesday they hope that Congress would quickly act to pass the bill.

There was an earlier proposal announced in August by Jeh Johnson, the Secretary of Homeland Security, about enhancing security under the visa waiver program. Included in his proposal was to require e-passports with biometric information for all travelers to the U.S. to minimize the chances of forgery.

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