Extension of Visa Waiver Authority Protects US Inbound Travel

The US Departments of State and Homeland Security have extended the visa interview cancellation power for low-risk candidates, which was originally set to expire on December 31.
Under the card meeting waiver authority, judicial officers have the power to relinquish in-person visa interviews for particular low-risk non-immigrant visa applications. Candidates who meet the requirements have a record of traveling to the United States in the past and must still go through the same stringent background investigations and screening processes that all non-immigrants do.
Most citizens or nationals of participating countries are able to enter the United States for business or tourism stays of 90 days or less under the Visa Waiver Program ( VWP ) without needing a visa. Prior to traveling, travelers must meet all requirements and obtain a current Electronic System for Travel Authorization ( ESTA ) approval. The visitor may still apply for a visitor ( B ) visa even if they prefer to have one in their passport.
If the waiver authority had n’t been expanded, 40 % of people applying for visas would have had to wait much longer, costing billions of dollars in lost traveler spending and harming the US economy.
Experts in the US go industry emphasize the significance of meeting waivers for low-risk travelers in protecting the nation’s economy and reducing the pandemic-related visa backlog, which has slowed the expansion of international outbound travel to the country.
The number of tourists to the United States has decreased by 13 million compared to 2019, despite the fact that nearly four years have passed since the world COVID-19 pandemic began. The repeatedly long wait times for immigration interviews, which now average over 400 days in crucial source markets, are a significant contributor to this decrease. Giving people the power to skip immigration interviews is a major step toward improving global competitiveness and making travel easier and safer.
The Biden administration’s expansion of the card cancellation power prevented the loss of 64 million guests and$ 215 billion in investing over the following ten years. The US would have lost an extra 2.2 million visitors and$ 5.9 billion in tourist investing in 2024 alone without the improvement.
Presently, 41 nations are taking part in the Visa Waiver Program:
Andorra ( 1991 ), Australia ( 1996 ), Austria ( 2000 ), Belgium ( 2009 ), Brunei ( 1993 ), Croatia ( 2008 ), Czech Republic ( 2008 ) ( Denmark ( 2008 ) ), Estonia ( 2008 ) Finland ( 1989 ), Norway ( 2018 ) ( 2019 ), San Marino ( 1999 ), Slovakia ( 2008 ) Slovenia ( 1997 ) Spain ( 1998 ), Sweden ( 2002 ), Taiwan ( 2012 ) United Kingdom ( 1988 ), and Malta ( 2008 )
If they are applying for admission with passports from these nations, members of the new places of Curacao, Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba, and St Maarten ( the former Netherlands Antilles ) are not eligible to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
SOURCE: The Modification of the Visa Waiver Authority Protects US Inbound Travel