H1B News
Latest Worldwide News
Schengen and EU
Americas and Oceania
US Scraps Visa Waiver for Travelers Who Visited North Korea
Travelers from the countries under the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will no longer be capable of entering the US with only an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), if they have visited North Korea after March 1, 2011. Instead, they will have to get a regular US tourist visa, in order to be eligible to cross any of the US border entries, by air, sea or land.
The new move has been announced only yesterday, and it will affect tens of thousands of travelers, who for one or another reason, have been to North Korea in recent years.
According to a notice of the US Customs and Border Protection, nationals of 38 countries that visited one of the eight countries listed as high-risk countries by the US authorities, cannot travel or be admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, including travelers that visited North Korea.
"Travelers in the following categories are no longer eligible to travel or be admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP): Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled to or been present in Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country). Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria"
While the seven other countries, most of them located in the Middle East, have been in this list for years, North Korea is the latest addition.
The most affected country by this move might be South Korea, after it has issued about 37,000 permissions to its citizens, to travel to North Korea, since 2011.
According to an official of the United States Embassy in Seoul, further details on the measure will be announced by the US in the following days.
"It still remains to be seen how the U.S. authority will technically identify South Korean nationals' record of visits to North Korea," an official from the embassy explained.
The US ESTA is an electronic program that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, for purposes as those for which a B1 visa or B2 visa would be required for nationals of non-VWP countries.
>> Check here if you are eligible to apply for ESTA
The VWP program was created to improve security for the people who visit the United States and also so that US citizens can travel to the other 38 countries freely.
By Shkurta Januzi|2019-08-06T12:23:35+02:00August 6th, 2019|US Visa/Passport News|
US Ranked in Sixth Position in List of World's Most Powerful Passports
Biden Administration Makes Available Another 20,000 H-2B Visas for First Half of 2022
WTTC: US Travel & Tourism Experienced a Labour Shortage of 700,000 Vacancies in 2021
UK Removes All Countries From Its COVID-19 Red List
US Imposes New Testing Requirement for Arrivals From Other Countries, Due to Omicron Variant
US Bans Travel From 8 Countries From South African Region
US Travel & Tourism Rebounds in 2021, May Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2022
DHS Adds 6 New Countries Whose Citizens Are Eligible to Participate in H-2A & H-2B Visa Programs
Travelers Vaccinated With Covaxin Can Also Enter US From November 8
Latest VISA/PASSPORT News
Denial Rate of H-1B Visas Decreases Significantly
UK Imposes Testing Requirements Due to Omicron Variant
UK: Points-Based Immigration System Continues to Deliver People's Priorities
US Conducts Third Random Selection of H-1B Applications Previously Submitted for FY 2022
Important Travel Tips
How to Book a Flight Itinerary for Visa Application?
How to Write an Invitation Letter for Visa Application?
How to Submit Proof of Accommodation for Visa Application?
How to Get Travel Insurance?