NBTA Urges Expansion of Visa Waiver Program
ALEXANDRIA, VA, July 2, 2009 - The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) - the leading association for the business travel industry - today voiced concern about the lack of a fully implemented biometric air exit procedure in the United States, which will prevent expansion of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). As of June 30, 2009, because an official biometric air exit system does not exist, current law prohibits the addition of countries who otherwise meet all necessary security criteria for VWP.
NBTA has been a long-time supporter of the VWP and was pleased to see the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, South Korea, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, and Slovakia added last year. With members in more than 30 nations, regional affiliates based in Canada, Mexico, Australia and Brazil, and partner organizations throughout Europe, NBTA understands the importance of facilitating business travel to the United States for foreign travelers.
To allow further expansion of the VWP, NBTA urges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Congress to work together to either fund and implement a biometric air exit procedure or alter existing law to enforce immigration laws through a strengthened biographic exit program.
Kevin Maguire, CCTE, GLP, NBTA President & CEO, said, "We are disappointed that DHS has not yet established a fully implemented biometric air exit program. The gridlock between DHS and aviation stakeholders and a lack of federal funding has delayed air exit for almost two years. Now, more than ever, U.S. companies need visa free travel for their global partners to enable the free flow of commerce."
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world's premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates - NBTA Asia Pacific, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA - serve a network of more than 15,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 4,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$200 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 10 million business travelers within their organizations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org
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