On July 24, 2006,
The Heritage Foundation hosted an event, "Rethinking Visa Policy for the
21st Century," which examined the strengths,
weaknesses, and needed policy changes in U.S. visa policy.
Stewart Baker,
Assistant Secretary for Policy at the Department of Homeland
Security, outlined how an applicant obtains a regular visa for
entry into the United States. One must complete an application,
undergo an interview at a U.S. embassy, be fingerprinted and
photographed, and pay a $100 processing fee. These requirements
often discourage people from traveling to the United States. The
process is much simpler for a citizen of a country in the visa
waiver program, Baker explained. Citizens from countries
participating in the program can travel to the United States with a
passport and without a required fee or visit to an embassy. In
turn, U.S. citizens can travel to countries that participate in the
program without a visa.
The visa waiver
program serves several functions: it spurs tourism and economic
investment, rewards U.S. allies, ensures reciprocal trade benefits,
and mitigates national security and immigration risks. The program
began in 1988 when the United Kingdom and Japan became
beneficiaries of visa waivers. Since 1999, no new countries have
been admitted to the program due to the elevated security standards
post-9/11. Some government officials have lobbied to end the
program completely. Nonetheless, a number of Eastern European and
Southeast Asian countries are among the "aspiring nations" that
hope to be admitted to the program in the near future.
Dan Griswold,
Director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at the Cato
Institute, made the case for expansion of the visa waiver program.
Visa waivers promote economic and diplomatic ties with our friends
and allies, according to Griswold. He cited a Government
Accountability Office (GAO) report which stated that elimination of
the program would cost the government $28 billion over five years
in lost economic activity from the drop in tourism. Moreover, the
GAO found that eliminating the program would not enhance national
security. Griswold sees no reason why the program should not be
extended to other countries-such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and
South Korea-that closely resemble other nations in the program in
terms of population and per capita income.
Michael McCarry,
Executive Director of the Alliance for International Educational
and Cultural Exchange, discussed the public diplomacy impact of
visa waivers. According to McCarry, the State Department needs to
regulate exchange programs in a way that makes the U.S. accessible
and welcoming. He cited the success of the Exchange Visitor
Program, which issues Department of State J1 visas at no cost to
the federal government to 275,000 students annually to study or
participate in work exchange programs. These students, many from
countries on the "aspiring nations" list, spend time in the U.S.
and then leave with a positive impression of the country. These
programs can have a great impact on how other nations view the
United States, he explained. A United States that is hospitable and
welcoming to people from other nations would greatly improve the
conduct of public diplomacy.
Any successful visa
policy must help win the long war the United States is currently
fighting. Visa policy must provide security, facilitate economic
growth and competition, strengthen civil society, and create the
right image of America throughout the world. Expansion of the visa
waiver program accomplishes all four of these tasks.
James Jay Carafano,
Ph.D., is the Senior Research Fellow for Defense and
Homeland Security in the Sarah and Douglas Allison Center for
Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. Kevin Pudas, an
intern at The Heritage Foundation, contributed to this
WebMemo.