Nationals of 3 More Countries Qualify to Visit the U.S. without Visas
Posted Aug 28, 1999

As readers of The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C.'s Immigration Law Bulletin are aware, persons from certain countries are allowed to visit the U.S., for up to 90 days, without a visa, based upon the "visa waiver" program. Participating countries include most of the Western European countries, Japan, Australia, and several others. There is also a separate, similar, program for Canadian visitors. Selection is made on the basis of nationals of those countries who return back to their home countries and do not overstay in the U.S., and generally most developing countries do not qualify for the visa waiver program.

From time to time, the U.S. State Department and INS add to the list of participating visa waiver countries. On August 3, 1999, both agencies announced in the Federal Register that three more countries, namely, Portugal, Singapore, and Uruguay, were now eligible to participate. The interim rule adding these three countries became effective as of August 9, 1999.