US House set to tighten controls on visa-free travel to US

Washington: The US House of Representatives is preparing to tighten controls on visa-free travel to the US following the Paris terror attacks.

Legislation heading for a vote today would bar anyone who’s been in Iraq or Syria in the previous five years from coming to the US under the visa waiver program.

The program allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the US without first obtaining a visa.

Belgium and France are among the countries that participate.

Those two countries were home to most of the perpetrators of the Paris attacks.

The legislation has overwhelming bipartisan support and White House backing.

It may end up attached to a sweeping year-end spending bill.

Separately some lawmakers are talking about also looking at the fiance visa program utilised by the shooters in San Bernardino, California.