Visa Requirements For US Visitors Might Tighten

December 14, 2015

Following the recent attacks in Paris, The House of Representatives voted to tighten restrictions for visitors to the United States. These restrictions would apply to citizens of the 38 nations that can generally travel to the country without obtaining a visa first, via the Visa Waiver program.

The bill passed by 407 to 19.

This new measure would require some visitors from the Visa Waiver countries, 30 of which are in Western Europe, to obtain a visa at an embassy/consulate prior to traveling to the US if they've been to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan during the past five years.

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What do you think? Do you think tightening in on border security -- even for friendly countries -- is the way to go?

Further, it would require the Visa Waiver countries to share information with US authorities about suspected terrorists.

The Visa Waiver program will let visitors stay for up to 90 days without a visa, a measure started in 1986 to boost tourism and to tighten the relationship with our close allies. The same way, US travelers can travel to the Visa Waiver countries just as easy, so it's a bilateral agreement benefiting the tourist industry for all involved parties.