Arriving in the United States, European travelers could now be closely monitored. If they can currently enter the US without a visa, the world power may soon adopt a legal arsenal to tighten controls, such as voted Tuesday, December 8th the House of Representatives of Congress. The US government expressed support for this legislation.
While this tightening of controls has yet to be approved by the Senate, Fulconis Tancred, a French student of the prestigious Georgetown University, already seeing changes. "At the airport, customs now ask me many questions," said he to France 24. "Customs officials are particularly interested in my trip to Lebanon since the country is considered at risk for the US . I was asked when I went there with whom, the names of these people, what I did there, etc. "
Increased suspicion since the attacks of 13 November in Paris, some of the authors were holders of European passports. Washington fears that Belgian or French jihadists do not fit on the US territory to carry out attacks. Nationals of these countries, like those of 36 other states, can indeed travel to the US without a visa for a tourist trip and for a period 90 days, through the ESTA program.
"Paris Suicide bombers could get into our country"
The bill passed by the House of Representatives, which has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, would prohibit travelers from 38 countries partners who surrendered since March 2011 in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Sudan to qualify for exemption, forcing them to apply for a visa to the US authorities before travel. The law also covers persons with dual nationality with one of the named countries, such as Franco-Iranians, even if they have never been to Iran.
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