AP reports from Washington that the Department of Homeland Security is adding new requirements for countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to tighten border and travel security.
DHS announced Friday that the 38 countries taking part in the program will now be required to use U.S. counterterrorism information to screen travelers crossing their borders, as part of their existing information-sharing agreements.
The U.S. will also start assessing how effectively the countries are protecting against insider threats to aviation security by making sure they vet their airport employees and ensure those employees aren’t corrupted.
They’ll also require Hungary, Greece, Portugal and San Marino — four countries whose citizens stayed in the United States longer than permitted at a rate of two percent or more last year — to launch public information campaigns to educate their citizens on the specifics of the program and consequences of violating its conditions.
The Visa Waiver Program enables citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. for business or tourism for up to 90 days without having to obtain visas. About 20 million people travel on the program every year.
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Source: thenationalherald.com
