New changes to the country’s Visa Waiver Program have been finalized and will be effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security said Friday. The changes would affect business and tourism travelers from 38 countries who participate in the program.

The Visa Waiver Program started in 1986 as a way to encourage tourism and business travel to the US, while allowing State Department resources to be allocated to higher-risk activities. Under the program citizens and nationals from 38 counties, mostly European, are allowed to travel to the US for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.

In return, those 38 counties allow US citizens to travel to their countries for similar visits and stays.

The US has been expanding the information it collects on immigrants to the US in an effort to strengthen its national security policies.

Stricter Requirements

Under the enhanced requirements, VWP countries are required to screen travelers crossing their borders against US counterterrorism information, and to conduct effectiveness assessments on inside security threats, such as airport workers.

Countries having a greater than 2% rate of travelers overstaying their visas will be required to implement public information campaigns aimed at reducing violations by their nationals. According to Dhs, only four countries had overstay rates higher than 2% last year: Greece, Hungary, Portugal and San Marino.

The trump administration has been exploring ways to reduce the number of immigrants coming to the US illegally as well as legally. Back in September, the Trump Administration announced that it would be discontinuing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, program which deferred deportation for individuals brought to this country illegally, but at a young age and through no fault of their own.

President Trump also endorsed the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy, or RAISE, Act, introduced in the Senate earlier this year. The Act would end immigration based on family connections in favor of criteria such as skills the American economy is in need of. It has been estimated that the RAISE Act could decrease legal immigration by 50% over 10 years if enacted.

The Visa Waiver Program has long been seen as a source of violations of the country’s immigration system. According to a DHS report, roughly 629,000 travelers overstayed their visas last year.

Economic Boon

There’s also a large economic benefit seen to the Visa Waiver Program, despite the high number of violations. An estimated 20 million travelers enter the United States each year under the program. According to the Department of Commerce, VWP travelers spent approximately $84 billion on goods and services in the US in FY 2014 and contributed nearly $231 million a day to local economies.
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