The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would tighten restrictions on travel to the United States by citizens from 38 countries under the Visa Waiver Programme. The House bill, which is backed by the White House, takes aim at the “visa waiver program”, which allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the US without first obtaining a visa, according to The Associated Press.
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The bill states that European citizens who have visited Syria and Iraq will now require a visa to enter the US after 30 years of visa free travel. It could mean either hundreds of airports in other countries would be required by the USA government to install biometric stations to comply, or travelers would have to visit the US consulate before traveling-just as they would for a visa interview.
Steptoe & Johnson Senior Director Marc E. Frey, a former director of the Visa Waiver Program at the Department of Homeland Security, said the waiver program is “misunderstood”.
Visitors to the US from countries like Italy may now have to apply for a visa.
Requires U.S. intelligence agencies to regularly audit the security threat of VWP countries for compliance.
Tuesday’s vote stands in contrast to a more partisan bill the House passed last month that would enhance security requirements for refugees from Iraq or Syria seeking asylum in the United States. “Five thousand of them have Western passports, and we know that several of the ISIS attackers in Paris had Western passports, meaning they could have entered the United States without a visa”.
“The tragic San Bernardino terrorist attack has reminded us that our visa system isn’t immune to abuse by those who wish to harm our nation”, said Rep. Steve Womack, (R) Arkansas – 3rd District.
“This will help neutralize the threat from foreign terrorists entering our country”, said House Speaker Paul Ryan. VWP countries must participate in security reviews every other year, offer reciprocal visa-free travel to USA citizens, and share counterterrorism and law enforcement information with the U.S.
What Is The Visa Waiver Program?
After the attacks in Paris, and closer to home in San Bernardino, California, lawmakers across the country want to keep people safe.
“The stakes have never been higher as radical Islamic terrorists continue to look for any opportunity to infiltrate America to kill us and carry out their barbaric attacks in our communities”, Hudson said in a statement.
The bill was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators led by Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Republican Jeff Flake with special caution on individuals who had been to Syria or Iraq in the last five years.
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How Does Refugee Screening Compare With The Visa Process?
