United States suspends two visa programs

[jjcollins]

Fearing that terrorists could exploit a vulnerability, the United States suspended two programs Saturday that allow some international air passengers to transit through the country without a visa.

The suspensions of the transit without visa program and the international-to-international transit program take effect immediately but will not affect U.S. citizens or nationals of 27 other countries from which visas to travel to the United States are not required. Exceptions are also being made for people who are now traveling or who have tickets to travel soon.

A Homeland Security Department official says additional Customs and Border Protection inspectors are being deployed to the nation's airports to ease any problems, and the State Department will be working to process the visas quickly.



Read more here http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/08/02/visa.policy/index.html



jj........

 

[Fantasia Sam]

So what does this mean for UK passport holders ??

 

[jjcollins]

Ok Sam this is my take on it LOL (shouldn't affect us ) -- If say your flying with an Airline say from London - Tokyo via LA and theres a change of Plane with say 1hr to several hrs wait Normally you don't need a visa( in transit ). But as the U.S say, this could be exploited by terrorists because, as it stands at the minute they could slip in without a visa and the neceassary screening would not take place. But this news will not affect nationals of 27 other countries from which visas to travel to the United States are not required. Ie UK and most European countries.

I guess they're just closing doors on the terrorists.


Hope i've explained this right



jj.......

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Ahhhhhhhhh I see - I was kinda sure we were one of the 27 countries but you know didn't want to make the assumption. Thanks JJ for clearing that up for me

 

[jjcollins]

No probs Sam wonder does that count as good news



jj.....

 

[Mark&Jackie]

Do they naively assume from this then that there are no terrorists in the UK?

 

[jjcollins]

They must do -- IRA helping FARC terrorists in Colombia who then in turn send must of their drugs too the U.S.A


jj.......