7 nations join US visa waiver programme - Malta 'making good progress'

U.S. President George W. Bush today announced that seven more countries will be added to the list of those whose citizens can travel to the United States without needing to obtain a visa. Malta's application is still under consideration, despite it having just introduced biometric passports, one of the key requirements for admission.

President Bush said that later this year citizens from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea will be allowed visa-free entry as long as they have registered online before their trips and have tamper-proof, biometric passports.

The countries will also have to share information about threats to Americans, Bush said.

"I believe the best foreign policy for America is one that lets people from other countries get to know this country first hand," he said in the White House Rose Garden. "Extending this opportunity to some of our closest allies deepens our friendship and makes all our countries safer."

Americans can already travel to those countries without first obtaining a visa.

The seven countries will be added to the 27 nations already included in the U.S. "visa waiver" programme of friendly nations. Most European countries are included.

The White House said several other countries are under consideration for the programme, including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Poland and Romania.

U.S. Ambassador to Malta Molly H. Bordonaro in a statement affirmed President Bush’s expectations by noting that all agreements were complete and that the U.S. government remained committed to concluding the remaining work this year.

Malta is making great progress and I am hopeful that we’ll be able to announce that Malta is close to joining.” the ambassador said. “We feel Malta will be within the VWP soon, possibly by the end of the year.”