I am pleased to share my Duane Morris Immigration Law blog regarding new restrictions on the Visa Waiver Program.

On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2029), which will fund government agencies for at least another year. This omnibus spending bill also includes significant changes to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) which appear under the Title of “Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015.’’

For more than 25 years, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has permitted citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. There are currently 38 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, each of which must provide reciprocal travel privileges to U.S. citizens. Since its inception in 1986, the Visa Waiver Program has facilitated tourism and business in the U.S., providing substantial economic benefits. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), VWP travelers injected nearly $231 million a day into local economies across the country in FY 2014.

Last month, the White House announced enhanced security measures to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which included modifications to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications to capture information from VWP travelers regarding any past travel to countries constituting a terrorist safe haven.

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