Immigration Alert: Visa Waiver Program Expanding To Include New Countries

On October 17, 2008, President Bush announced that the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will be expanding to include seven new countries, and that six additional countries are "on track" to be included in the near future. The VWP currently includes a list of 27 "friendly" countries whose nationals may travel to the United States for 90 days or less for business, pleasure, or transit without requiring a formal visa stamp. These countries extend the same courtesy to U.S. citizens traveling in the same manner. In approximately one month, this list will be officially expanded to include citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and South Korea. The six additional nations "on track" to be included at a future date are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Poland, and Romania. President Bush did not provide a specific date or timeline for these countries, though we will of course provide updates as they are available.