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Malta has been admitted to the US visa waiver programme (VWP), Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro announced this afternoon.

Membership comes into force on December 30.

A memorandum of understanding for Malta's participation in the programme was signed between the US and the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry last April 11 after talks which involved the US Department of Homeland Security.

Malta started introducing biometric passports in October in what was an important element for admission to the programme.

The Visa Waiver Programme was introduced in 1986 with the aim of facilitating tourism and short term business visits to the United States. It includes 34 countries.

Dr Gonzi said this was an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries. The significance of this agreement was enormous from an economic point of view and showed Malta was a safe jurisdiction.

Rather than applying for a visa, visitors to the US would now have to fill in an online form, called ESTA, by up to 72 hours before travelling. An information campaign will be held.

Ms Bordonaro said this programme facilitated travel between the two countries and would only serve to strengthen the excellent relations between the two countries. She said that commercial ties had consistently grown stronger in the three years she has been ambassador.

She said that the Visa Waiver Programme and the double taxation agreement signed in August meant that the way was open for even stronger commercial exchanges between the two countries.

The US Embassy in a statement said Malta’s entry into the Visa Waiver Programme does not mean that visas will go away entirely. Maltese citizens who already hold a valid visa for the United States can continue to travel using that visa. In addition, persons who wish to travel to the U.S. for a period of more than 90 days or for a purpose other than tourism or business, such as to study or to work, will still need to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy.

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