Tag Archives: Visa Waiver Program

U.S. announces more restrictions to Visa Waiver Program

United States officials on Thursday announced new restrictions regarding the country’s Visa Waiver Program, an action designed to prevent foreign terrorists from entering the nation.

The Department of Homeland Security said it added Libya, Somalia and Yemen to its list of “countries of concern,” which means most people who have traveled to those nations since March 2011 will not be allowed to enter the United States through the Visa Waiver Program.

That program allows citizens and nationals of 38 countries to visit the United States without first securing a visa, so long as they stay for fewer than 90 days. But lawmakers sought to reform the program after the Nov. 13 Paris terrorist attacks, and the changes went into effect last month when officials announced similar travel restrictions concerning Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan.

The White House has said the 20 million people who enter the United States through the program every year were already being screened to prevent terrorists and other potential security threats from entering the country. But those who sought to reform the program spoke about its potential vulnerabilities, and the new rules add an extra layer to the vetting process.

In making Thursday’s announcement, the Department of Homeland Security said “many” foreign terrorists are nationals of the countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

The State Department has issued active travel warnings for all seven aforementioned countries, in many cases citing terrorist or other extremist activities.

The new restrictions do not ban people who have traveled to the seven countries since March 2011 from entering the United States altogether. However, they are now required to first apply for a visa at a United States embassy. That process includes an in-person interview.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson can grant waivers on a case-by-case basis, and the department said such waivers may be available for people like journalists or humanitarian aid workers.

U.S. begins implementing restrictions on visa-free travel

United States officials have begun implementing new policies regarding the country’s Visa Waiver Program, the State Department announced Thursday.

The program allows citizens and nationals of 38 countries to visit the United States without obtaining a visa, provided they stay for fewer than 90 days.

Congress sought to reform the program in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks.

The new laws prevent anyone who has visited Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan since March 1, 2011, or holds citizenship in one of those four countries, from entering the United States through the Visa Waiver Program. They will now have to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy, a process that includes an in-person interview.

A White House fact sheet says 20 million people visit the United States under the Visa Waiver Program every year, and the program had utilized security checks designed to keep terrorists and other potential security threats out of the nation.

Those who sought to reform the program said there were shortcomings in that screening process, and Congress voted to approve the changes in December.

Representative Candice Miller (R-Michigan), who originally introduced the legislation, issued a statement when it was passed. She said the bill “improves our ability to identify and stop individuals who have traveled to terrorist hotspots to join ISIS and other like-minded organizations before they reach U.S. soil.”

In a news release, State Department officials said “the great majority” of people who use the Visa Waiver Program would not be affected by the changes.

The department added that Secretary of Homeland Security can waive the visa requirement for individuals who went to the aforementioned four countries on a case-by-case basis. People who traveled for diplomatic reasons, humanitarian work, military service or as a journalist may qualify for waivers.