<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What Is the Visa Waiver Program?

A: The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows foreign nationals from certain countries to be admitted to the U.S. under limited conditions and for a limited time without obtaining a visa.

Q: What Laws Govern the VWP?

A: In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act incorporated the Visa Waiver Pilot Program into the Immigration and Nationality Act. The program retained its pilot status until October 30, 2000, when the Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act made the pilot program permanent with some modifications. Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides the legal authority for the VWP.

Q: How Does the VWP Work?

A; The VWP permits nationals from designated countries to apply for admission to the United States for ninety (90) days or less as nonimmigrant visitors for business or pleasure without first obtaining a nonimmigrant visa. If the following requirements are met, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may designate a country as a participant in the program:

* The country offers reciprocal travel privileges to U.S. citizens;
* Nationals of the country have a low refusal rate for U.S. visas;
* The country issues or certifies that it will issue a machine-readable passport not later than October 1, 2003;
* The country will begin issuing a machine-readable passport to its citizens not later than October 1, 2003;
* The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, prepares a report evaluating the effect the country's designation would have on the United States’ law enforcement and security interests; and
* The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines that the country’s designation for the program would not compromise U.S. law enforcement or national security interests (including interests in enforcing immigration laws).

Q; What Countries Are in the VWP?

A: The following countries are currently in the program:

Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and The United Kingdom*. *For citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

Please note that the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may add countries to the program or remove them from the program at any time.

Also note that after May 15, 2003, citizens of Belgium must present a machine-readable passport in order to be granted admission under the VWP.</font>