Visa Waiver Program Under Attack
Obtaining permission to travel to the U.S. is relatively easy for the 27 countries that are part of the U.S. visa waiver program. Most other countries must obtain a standard travel visa, which requires citizens to apply for permission in advance and attend an interview. For some, this can be time-consuming and inconvenient.
In August 2007, the Department of Homeland Security received authorization from Congress to expand the visa waiver program to allow new countries to join, as long as the Department met certain conditions to enhance the security of the program.
The Department of Homeland Security is now under fire because it is not meeting those conditions. A few weeks ago, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report outlining the failures of the visa waiver program. As a result, Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security, called a hearing to discuss the GAO report in the subcommittee. The hearing takes place this Wednesday. You can listen to a live webcast on the Committee on the Judiciary website.
Photo: Gary S Chapman/Getty Images
Comments
Applying for a standard travel visa is not only inconvenient and time consuming. I was born in Argentina and have been a US citizen for about 10 years. My mother who is 60 years old and her boyfriend of 20 years were planning on coming to my college graduation. They both went to the embassy in Buenos Aires with all her documents, which included proof of work from her employer of 13 years, statements from all her bank accounts, investments, title to her properties. In the end the consular officer denied her of her visa claiming that she did not have ties to her country and if she come to the USA will not go back to Argentina. I don’t understand how this can happen…