Hungarian MPs ratify US visa waiver accord
Parliament on Monday ratified for a second time the last agreement necessary for the country to join the US visa waiver program. MPs approved the modified pact with 360 affirmative votes and five abstentions.
The agreement had been sent back by President László Sólyom for reconsideration on October 20. He had complained that it gave US crime-fighting authorities access to all fingerprint records in the Hungarian criminal database, including those of victims of crime. The amended Act takes his objections into account.
EU data privacy ombudsman Peter Hustinx had also objected to the stipulation, as did data privacy ombudsman András Jóri.
Hungarians may travel to the US without visas for up to 90 days from November 17, although they will have to be registered electronically.
Email
Save to My CaboodleRelated Stories:
- Visa-free travel to US for Hungarians begins - 2008-11-17 09:06
- Visa-free travel to US for Hungarians to begin on Nov. 17 - 2008-10-28 09:05
- Bush drops visa restrictions for Hungarians - 2008-10-20 08:21
- No US visa needed for Hungarians from November - 2008-10-08 09:43
- Government clears last hurdles to US visa waiver - 2008-09-25 07:29
- Deal on visa-free travel to America seen as close - 2008-09-10 07:59
- Five-party talks on U.S. visa issue postponed - 2008-09-02 09:54
- U.S. delays final agreement over visa-free travel for Hungarians - 2008-08-19 09:45
- Hungary passes bill needed for US visa waver - 2008-06-03 12:58
- Hungary signs deal with US over exchange of terror information - 2008-05-22 11:33
- Hungary agrees to US visa exemption, but at what price? - 2008-03-26 08:30
