PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 14, 2004
Safe, Efficient, Coordinated, Unified, Revitalized, Enhanced Visa Waiver Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish an electronic system that requires aliens seeking entry to the United States under the visa waiver program (VWP) to submit biographical information prior to embarkation. Requires such system to: (1) make electronic determinations of eligibility for admission within 30 minutes; (2) require carriers and other corporations providing transportation to inquire electronically, prior to embarkation, whether the alien has been determined eligible for admission and to respond to such inquiries within 90 seconds; and (3) be deployed as soon as possible.
Requires the Secretary: (1) to charge a fee to VWP aliens that ensures the recovery of the full costs of establishing and operating the system; and (2) in developing the system, to consult with and allow for review by a private sector group consisting of experts in travel, tourism, privacy, national security, or computer security issues.
Amends the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act to extend by one year: (1) the deadline for installing equipment and software at U.S. ports of entry to allow biometric comparison and authentication of machine-readable passports issued by VWP countries; and (2) the deadline for VWP aliens to present such passports.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Authorizes the Secretary to grant up to two extensions of the new deadlines where the VWP country is making substantial progress toward issuing machine-readable, tamper-resistant passports that incorporate biometric and document authentication identifiers.
People & committees
Rep. Turner, Jim [D-TX-2] · D–TX
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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