Korea Could Join Visa Waiver Program
Posted Apr 25, 2008
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff signed a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Agreement with Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan. This agreement was announced on April 18, 2008 in a DHS press release and could lead to the inclusion of South Korea in the VWP in the near future.
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Agreement with South Korea is latest expansion of VWP
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As MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will recall from our April 4, 2008 article, Visa Waiver Program Likely to Expand to Five More Nations, the VWP allows foreign nationals from the current 27 VWP nations to travel to the U.S. for 90 days or fewer without the need for a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa. The VWP only accepts nations with high rates of compliance with U.S. visa requirements and low rates of rejections of visa applicants.
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Additional Requirements for South Korea for VWP Participation
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Before becoming a VWP country, South Korea will have to establish enhanced security measures. The DHS will put an electronic travel authorization system into place. The details of this authorization will be announced later in the year. There are also reporting requirements for lost or stolen passports, by which any prospective VWP country must abide. Other requirements include permitting U.S. air marshals on certain flights.
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VWP Purpose Limited to Short-Term Travel
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The VWP program does not replace the need for visas such as the H1B, L-1, J-1, F-1, etc. It also only allows a citizen of the VWP country to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days, with neither the possibility to extend status nor the ability to file for a change to another type of status. Therefore, while it is a significant privilege and makes visiting the U.S. much easier for those from eligible countries, it is in no way an open door to live or work in the United States.
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Recent VWP Agreements
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In recent weeks, the U.S. signed enhanced VWP agreements with the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Malta. These nations may soon join the current 27 VWP nations who currently enjoy the privilege of visa-free travel to the U.S., subject to the terms and conditions under the VWP.
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List of 27 VWP Eligible Nations
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The following 27 countries are included within the VWP program as of the time of this writing: Andora, Australia, Austria, 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. This list changes, with both potential additions and deletions, depending upon a number of factors. An updated list is maintained on the USCIS WebSite at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html.
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Conclusion
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These steps toward including South Korea in the VWP will advance the United States' dual interests in promoting visa-security enhancements and facilitating travel between partner nations. As other nations can demonstrate eligibility under the strict VWP waiver requirements, they may be invited to the VWP.
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