US tightens visa-waiver prog to deter militants

Washington:In the wake of the recent Paris attack, the US has announced changes to its visa-waiver programme to screen passengers entering from 38 countries who are allowed to enter America without obtaining visas before they travel, a move intended to prevent an attack similar to the one that struck Paris last month.
Citizens of countries – mostly European — with which the US has a visa-waiver programme do not require a visa to enter the United States. While the US has no such programme with India, the latest announcement indicates that Indian visitors too would face tighter security screening before they are given visa to enter the United States.
“These changes will, among other measures, improve our ability to identify individuals who may have travelled to conflict zones, enhance our ability to thwart terrorist attempts to travel on lost or stolen passports, and will facilitate increased information-sharing with our European partners,” White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest told reporters in Paris after the announcement in this regard was made by here.
The Visa-Waiver Programme (VWP) permits visa free travel for 20 million visitors per year to the United States for citizens of 38 program partner countries around the world.
Over the past year, the Administration has taken a series of steps to enhance the significant security measures in the VWP, the White House said as it announced additional actions that will further enhance and accelerate these changes.
Under this the Department of Homeland Security will immediately take steps to modify its Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) applications to capture information from VWP travellers regarding any past travel to countries constituting a terrorist safe haven.
According to a 2012 government audit, about 2 percent of travelers — or about 364,000 people in 2010 — had gotten into the country without the required verification.
The Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, will identify and regularly review these countries so that traveller risk assessments can be made on the most up-to-date information, the White House said. (PTI)