The Senate has approved an amendment to a
pending security bill that would permit additional countries to
qualify for participation in the Visa Waiver Program by increasing
the visa refusal rate level, a key criteria for participating in
the program.
At least 19
countries, such as South Korea, Turkey and Argentina, are seeking
entry into the program, which allows travelers from qualifying
countries to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa.
Participating countries then extend the same privilege to travelers
from the U.S.
The amendment,
sponsored by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), would increase the
visa refusal rate from 3% to 10%. The refusal rate relates to the
percentage of individuals who apply for and receive U.S.
visas.
The amendment
also would require the Dept. of Homeland Security and the State
Dept., in concert with Congress, to establish new standards to
gauge overstays, or foreign visitors who do not return home once
their visitor visas have expired, another key criteria for
inclusion in the program.
The security
bill, referred to as Implementing Unfinished Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of
2007, proposed expanding the Visa Waiver Program, but
didnt set specific refusal or overstay rates for determining
participation.
It does, however,
call for the development of exit system
that would cross-check whether visitors arriving by air later
depart.
The Bush
administration, as well as the travel industry, supports expanding
the program.
Currently, 27
countries participate in the VWP: Andorra, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.
To contact reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].