US adds restrictions to Visa Programme

The proposed enhancements to the US Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), which were first announced by the US Department of State in August last year, have been written into law. As a result, all South African travellers holding dual citizenship in countries permitted to enter the US without a visa, will now have to be in possession of electronic passports.

From April 1, travellers applying for admission into the US under the VWP will have to present an electronic, machine-readable passport that is fraud-resistant and contains biographic and biometric information. In addition, the use of Interpol’s screening capabilities as well as a more robust implementation of information-sharing agreements between countries on the VWP will be incorporated into the VWP programme.

This has been written into the US’s Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2009.

Rachael Penaluna, business manager at Sure Maritime Travel says the new e-passport requirement will bring about greater inconvenience and cost for South African travellers.

“Currently, passengers travelling to the US with international EU passports do their own Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) online which means they can travel to the US without a visa and on their own passport. Now passengers will be required to apply for these e-passports which will bring about further complications and more costs.”

What’s more, as part of the US’s VWP reform and attempts to prevent terrorist travel, travellers will now not be permitted to enter the US if they have visited Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan at any time on or after March 1, 2011. The preclearance facilities – which are currently available at 15 airports worldwide – will also be expanded to include more airports capable of screening passengers before they enter the US.

Rachael fears the attempts by the US to increase security will be followed by other countries, thus making it more difficult for travellers.

“What the US does, other countries follow – and this is especially concerning for South Africans as it is already a mission for them to travel,” she said. 

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