Europeans Angered by Congress' $10 Visa-Waiver Fee
Is it a “tempest in a teapot?”
Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) is one of the sponsors of the Travel Promotion Act, a bill that would require foreign visitors who qualify for visa-free travel to register online and renew that registration once every two years. If the proposal is passed by Congress, all visitors would have to pay a $10 fee when they register. According to Delahunt, the money raised would be used to promote travel and educating foreign visitors on the online registration process.
So far, the bill has been created waves overseas and European Commission’s ambassador to Washington, John Bruton said, “”Only in `Alice in Wonderland’ could a penalty be seen as promoting the activity on which it is imposed.” Bruton also suggested there could be similar fees for U.S. travelers.
Delahunt reportedly called it a “tempest in a teapot.”
I guess my concern is that the $10 fee is about promoting U.S. travel, but will be primarily promoting the new online registration process. I’m questioning its existence — aside from annoying visitors and raising money for something that shouldn’t need an advertising budget — why is it necessary?
It reminds me of the quote, “The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.”
Bay Area resident and award-winning business journalist Barbara E. Hernandez has covered tourism, real estate and personal finance. Her clients include the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Washington Post.
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