The US has revoked the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to foreigners who have travelled to eight countries including North Korea since March 1, 2011. The new changes in the provisions will likely to affect the isolated country's tourism country.
Details about the new travel provision were posted on the US Customs and Border Protection website. "Nationals of VWP countries who have travelled to or been present in Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country)" the website said.
The US allows citizens of 38 countries, including South Korea, Japan and France, to enter the country up to 90 days without a visa under a waiver programme. The provision also includes those countries to permit US citizens to travel to their countries for a similar length of time with a visa for business or tourism purposes.
The move is said to affect a large number of visitors from visa waiver countries who have gone to North Korea as tourists or for other purposes in recent years.
The US has banned its citizens from visiting North Korea since 2017 after an American college student died after being released from a jail in Pyongyang.
