Key elements of a Bush administration legislative
initiative to reform the Visa Waiver Program were outlined
in a fact sheet issued by the Department of Homeland Security
November 30.
The changes are intended to strengthen security
measures with the goal of encouraging additional international
allies to join the program, according to a November 28 statement
by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Twenty-seven countries -- Andorra, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
and the United Kingdom -- participate in the program. It
allows travelers who possess an e-passport (containing biometric
data) or a valid, machine-readable passport issued before
October 26 to enter the United States without obtaining
a visa.
Chertoff said the proposed reforms, if enacted
by Congress, would enhance border security, allow the United
State s to continue to be a welcoming country, and help
convince international allies that joining the Visa Waiver
Program is a realistic goal.
“We envision a secure travel authorization
system that will allow us to receive data about travelers
from countries before they get on the plane,” he said.
“We want to welcome people who are interested in working
or traveling in the United States provided they abide by
the terms of their admission and, also importantly, provided
they don't furnish a security threat.”
Chertoff stressed that “the United
States will equally accept the burden of new security measures
and will not require citizens of visa waiver countries to
adopt measures that we are unwilling to undertake ourselves.”
The full
text of Chertoff’s statement is available on the
Homeland Security Web site.
For more information on U.S. policies, see
Immigration
Reform.
Following is the fact sheet:
(begin fact sheet)
Department of Homeland Security
Fact Sheet: Security Improvements to Visa Waiver
Program
Release Date: November 30, 2006
The Administration announced its intention
to work with Congress to reform the Visa Waiver Program
(VWP) thereby strengthening security and facilitating international
allies’ ability to join the program. The Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified a number of security
measures to be sought from Visa Waiver Program candidates.
DHS will work with Congress to implement the following security
requirements:
1. Electronic travel authorizations.
The United States will develop an Electronic Travel Authorization
program for VWP travelers to give advance information on
their travels to the Unites States. In return, the VWP travelers
will be given authorization electronically to travel to
the United States. This program will be modeled on a similar
program that has been used in Australia for many years.
2. Passenger information exchange.
For the most effective background checks on prospective
travelers, the United States needs information and assistance
from the country where the traveler resides. Such assistance
should be a routine part of any VWP relationship.
3. Reporting lost and stolen passports.
VWP countries will be asked to report lost and stolen passport
data for both blank and issued passports, and to do so as
promptly as possible. We have made progress in this area
thanks to Congress’ past requirement that VWP countries
provide such reports; the time has come to raise our sights.
4. Repatriation of removed aliens.
When illegal immigrants are found in the United States,
they must be removed from the United States to their home
country. The home country must agree to accept them for
repatriation. If the country refuses, or simply neglects
to do so, the United States is forced to allow the aliens
to remain in this country. VWP countries should agree to
accept their citizens promptly when those citizens are caught
violating U.S. law.
In addition, DHS will seek agreement with
VWP countries on the following security enhancements:
5. Common standards for travel documents.
International travelers who use fraudulent travel documents
remain a security threat to the United States. DHS has made
great strides in encouraging foreign nations to adopt common
standards for the manufacture and issuance of travel documents
– including passports that are machine readable, contain
biometric information, contain digitally embedded photographs,
and have other security features. But more work remains
to be done. DHS will urge VWP candidates to take further
steps to improve the security and interoperability of travel
documents. Examples of improved security could include:
central issuance authorities, standards for emergency passports,
special markings for replacement passports, measures to
identify travelers with two or more passports, and expedited
issuance of the new biometric electronic passports.
6. Air marshals. The United
States benefits from the enhanced security of allowing U.S.
Federal Air Marshals to operate onboard international flights
to and from the United States. We will ask VWP countries
to cooperate in the air marshal program.
7. Airport security. VWP
countries will be encouraged to meet superior standards
of airport security, especially in screening checked baggage.
Focus on security with flexibility
on immigration measures. Finally, while DHS intends
to tighten security measures and seek flexibility on requirements
that focus on the risk of illegal migration rather than
security. For many countries, the biggest impediment is
the statutory requirement that the visa refusal rate for
their country fall below 3 percent. Visa refusals are typically
a reflection of concern on the part of consular officials
that the traveler will not abide by the restrictions of
a tourist or other limited visa.
(end fact sheet)
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