Administration seeks delay on visa waiver programs

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge joined Secretary of State Colin Powell Wednesday in urging Congress to delay for two years a deadline for visa waiver countries to produce biometric passports.

Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ridge said he and Powell want the Oct. 26, 2004, deadline for countries to install machine-readable biometric passport systems delayed until Nov. 30, 2006. Ridge said "it will be difficult, if not impossible" for the 27 current countries qualifying for the visa waivers to meet the deadline because of technical difficulties.

Under present law, if the countries do not meet the deadline to install biometric passports that machines can read, visitors from those countries would have to obtain special visas. Currently, about 13 million individuals a year from visa waiver countries need only display their passports for 90-day visits. Congressional failure to extend the program could cause economic harm to the United States by disrupting travel, according to a recent letter from Powell to senators.

The program has generated controversy since Richard Reid -- convicted of trying to explode a bomb in his shoe while on an international flight -- came to the United States under the visa waiver program.

Judiciary member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., also raised concerns that some people within visa waiver countries were using stolen passports. She indicated she would oppose an extension of the program, which was described by an internal Homeland Security Department inspector general report as "very sloppy and in disarray." But Judiciary ranking member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he was inclined to support an extension. A committee aide said it was a question of whether the extension would be one year or two.