[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 41 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Pages 1357-1358]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Visa Waiver Program

October 17, 2008

    Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. Welcome to the White 
House. I'm pleased to stand with the representatives of seven 
countries--the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Slovakia, and South Korea--that have met the requirements to be admitted 
to the United States Visa Waiver Program. Soon the citizens of these 
nations will be able to travel to the United States for business or 
tourism without a visa. I congratulate these close friends and allies on 
this achievement, and I thank you for joining us here.
    I also thank Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of 
the Homeland--Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff for 
working hard to make sure this day has finally arrived. Appreciate other 
members of the administration here and members of the diplomatic corps.
    All of the nations represented here today allow American citizens to 
travel to their countries visa free. The United States has not accorded 
their citizens the same privilege. For years the leaders of these 
nations have explained to me how frustrating it is for their citizens to 
wait in lines, pay visa fees to take a vacation or make a business trip 
or visit their families here in the United States. These close friends 
of America told me that it was unfair that their people had to jump 
through bureaucratic hoops that other allies can walk around. I told 
them I agree with them. I also told them that in the world after 
September the 11th, we could only expand travel opportunities if we 
increased security measures at the same time.
    So nearly 2 years ago, my administration asked Congress to modernize 
our Visa Waiver Program in a way that accomplished both of these goals. 
I appreciate the bipartisan support this initiative has received on 
Capitol Hill. My administration worked with Congress to pass a law 
allowing us to admit new countries to the Visa Waiver Program. These 
countries agree to share information about threats to our people. They 
also agree that their citizens use a new system that requires travelers 
to register online ahead of their visits to the United States. These 
citizens will travel to the United States only if they have tamper-proof 
biometric passports. I'm grateful to the dedicated officers from the 
United States and our allies who worked hard to complete the agreements 
to meet these new requirements.
    Because of this good work, Homeland Security Secretary Michael 
Chertoff has notified our Congress the administration intends to use its 
new authority to admit seven countries into the Visa Waiver Program. In 
about a month, we will be proud to extend to citizens of these seven 
countries the privilege of visa-free travel.
    Today's announcement signifies a new chapter in the relationship 
between the United States and your nations. It is a testament to the 
strong bonds of friendship that unite our people.
    This is a significant achievement, but it is only the start. A 
number of America's other close friends are participating in a process 
called the visa waiver roadmap that is helping them qualify for the Visa 
Waiver Program. I welcome the Ambassadors from these roadmap countries: 
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Poland, and Romania. We thank you for 
coming today. We thank you for your friendship, and we look forward to 
the day when your countries join the Visa Waiver Program.
    I believe the best foreign policy for America is one that lets 
people from other countries get to know this country firsthand. 
Throughout our history, some of the strongest advocates of freedom have 
been those who came to America and saw the blessings of liberty with 
their own eyes. Extending this opportunity to some of our closest allies 
deepens our friendship and makes all our countries safer. I'm grateful 
to all the countries here for seeking to strengthen the ties between our 
citizens. I look forward to even stronger partnerships in the years 
ahead.
    Thank you for coming.

[[Page 1358]]

Note: The President spoke at 11:13 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Bulgaria's Ambassador to the U.S. 
Elena Borislavora Poptodorova; Cyprus' Ambassador to the U.S. Andreas 
Kakouris; Greece's Ambassador to the U.S. Alexandros P. Mallias; Malta's 
Ambassador-designate to the U.S. Mark Miceli-Farrugia; Poland's 
Ambassador to the U.S. Robert Kupiecki; and Romania's Ambassador to the 
U.S. Adrian Cosmin Vierita.