U.S. expands restrictions for visa free travel

The United States on Thursday announced further travel restrictions for foreigners eligible for visa waivers amid increased concerns about terrorism.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in statement that due to security concerns, people who had recently traveled to Libya, Somalia and Yemen would from now on not be eligible for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

"The addition of these three countries is indicative of the Department's continued focus on the threat of foreign fighters," said the statement, adding that individuals impacted by the new limits could still apply for a visa using the regular immigration process.

The VWP came under scrutiny in the wake of deadly Paris terrorist attacks last November. Last month, the DHS started requiring nationals of the VWP partner countries to get a visa ahead of their trip to the United States if they had traveled to or been present in Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria on or after March 1, 2011.

The VWP currently permits visa free travel for 20 million visitors each year to the United States for citizens of 38 program partner countries.

After the Paris terrorist attacks on Nov. 13, 2015, which killed at least 130 people and wounded over 300 others, U.S. lawmakers and government officials worried that the current VWP, which allows citizens from partner countries to enter the United States for as long as 90 days without a visa, could pose a security threat to homeland security. Enditem