美国会采取行动加强对免签入境的控制 US Congress Moves to Tighten Controls on Visa-Free Travel

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美国国会众议院以压倒多数批准了一项法案,禁止在过去5年去过叙利亚、伊拉克以及任何“关注国家和地区”的人免签证入境美国。

这一法案是跨党派努力的一部分,对入境美国的免签证计划进行修正。现行的该计划规定,世界上38个国家的公民如果在美停留90天或更短时间,就不必事先从使领馆取得签证。

这项法案星期二晚间以407票对19票获得通过。法案一旦生效,将带来一系列变化,包括要求有关国家根据国际刑警组织的数据库对申请来美的人进行核查,以确定他们是否被执法部门列入恐怖分子或犯罪分子通缉名单。

为了防止护照造假,这项法案还将要求所有38个国家发放所谓的“电子护照”,上面存有生物数据信息。这项法案将要求相关国家证实,通过扫描可以确认电子护照的合法性。

每年有大约2千万人通过免签证计划访美。他们目前是经过国土安全局维护的一个网络系统进行过滤核查。

这项法案还要得到参议院和奥巴马总统的批准,方能生效。

The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bar people who have visited Syria, Iraq or any "country or area of concern" in the past five years from a program that allows visa-free entry to the United States.

The legislation is part of a bipartisan push to amend the Visa Waiver Program that currently allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. for stays of 90 days and less without first obtaining a visa from an embassy or consulate.

The bill, which passed 407-19 late Tuesday, would institute a series of changes, including requiring participating countries to check travelers against Interpol databases to determine whether they are wanted by law enforcement agencies based on ties to terrorism or criminal activity.

To prevent falsification of passports, the measure would require all 38 countries to issue what it calls “e-passports” containing biometric information. The bill would require countries to be able to confirm that such documents are legitimate when they are scanned.

Some 20 million visitors come to the U.S. annually under the visa waiver program. They already are screened through an online system maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

To take effect, the changes must be approved by the Senate and President Barack Obama.