Public Description:
The bill would require DHS to establish a pilot program to expand the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) (which now allows citizens of 27 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, and, because there is little scrutiny of VWP “travelers,” has provided easy entry for terrorists and created a black market for stolen or forged passports from such countries) to include up to five new countries that are cooperating with the United States on security and counterterrorism matters, provided those nations first come to counterterrorism and security information sharing agreements with the United States; would allow such a country’s participation in the VWP for three years, with one two-year extension possible, but would authorize DHS to terminate a country’s participation for VWP program noncompliance; and would require DHS to: (1) develop and implement procedures to improve the manner of calculating visa overstay rates; and (2) submit a report to Congress describing plans for enhancing secure travel standards for existing VWP countries.
To expand visa waiver program to countries on a probationary basis,and for other purposes.
