Australians have long enjoyed being able to travel to the US visa-free, but US President Donald Trump could put a spanner in the works.
The result could radically effect tourism to the US in droves, with over a million Australians holidaying each year across the Trump-led nation.
Instead of the easy online form, Australians could potentially soon be forced to take an in-person interview with American officials under strict new border rules Trump is considering, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
According to an AAP report, the US-paper cites a draft copy of an executive order on immigration and refugees Trump is deliberating. In it, the current visa waiver program, which enables Australians to visit the US on a 90-day tourist visa by submitting biographical information online, could be suspended.
Australians and citizens from 37 other countries which currently enjoy the easy access, could instead have to sit for an in-person interview before entering the US, should POTUS go ahead with the reforms.
“The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act), which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa, undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions,” the draft executive order states, the AAP reports.
POTUS says he wants to create jobs but this will potentially cost US tourism based jobs if it all becomes too hard … a face to face interview with a US Official ???
The WALL will be going up around the whole country !! Donald says NO to everyone, hope the locals will be allowed to leave on holidays. Poor buggers
How to kill tourism, and jobs in one easy lesson.