I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3341 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to stimulate international 
tourism to the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2011 
Ms. HIRONO (for herself and Mr. DREIER) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the 
Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to stimulate 
international tourism to the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Visa Improvements 
to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States 
of America Act’’ or the ‘‘VISIT USA Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MULTIPLE ENTRY VISAS FOR NATIONALS OF CHINA. 
Section 214(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(a)(2)) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and 
(B) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so 
redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(A)(i) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) and except as 
provided in clause (ii), the Secretary of State shall ensure 
that a nonimmigrant visa issued pursuant to section 
101(a)(15)(B) to an alien described in clause (iii)— 
‘‘(I) is valid for a period of not less than 5 
years; and 
‘‘(II) permits unlimited entry into and exit from 
the United States during such period. 
‘‘(ii) The Secretary of State may waive clause (i) with 
respect to an alien described in clause (iii) if the Secretary 
determines that a compelling national security reason ex-
ists for the waiver. 
‘‘(iii) An alien described in this clause is an alien 
who— 
‘‘(I) is a national of China; 
‘‘(II) meets the requirements for a visa under 
section 101(a)(15)(B); and 
‘‘(III) requests a visa pursuant to clause (i). 
‘‘(iv) An alien issued a visa pursuant to clause (i) 
shall be screened through the automated electronic travel 
authorization system implemented pursuant to section 
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217(h)(3) prior to being admitted into the United 
States.’’. 
SEC. 3. EXPEDITING PRIORITY VISITORS. 
Section 286(u) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(u)) is amended— 
(1) by amending the subsection heading to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(u) PREMIUM PROCESSING FEE.—’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘The Attorney General’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) EMPLOYMENT-BASED PETITIONS AND AP-
PLICATIONS.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘This fee’’ and inserting ‘‘The 
fee authorized under this paragraph’’; 
(4) by striking ‘‘The Attorney General may ad-
just this fee’’ and inserting ‘‘The Secretary may ad-
just the fee authorized under this paragraph’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) VISITOR VISAS.—The Secretary of State 
shall offer premium processing for visitor visas 
issued to nonimmigrants described in section 
101(a)(15)(B) and shall ensure that applicants re-
questing premium processing for such visas are 
interviewed and the visa application is adjudicated 
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not later than 3 business days after the date of the 
applicant’s request for a visa appointment, absent 
compelling security concerns. The Secretary shall 
charge a fee for premium processing services under 
this paragraph in an amount sufficient to recover 
the costs incurred— 
‘‘(A) to more quickly process such visas in 
India, China, and Brazil; 
‘‘(B) to procure the technology needed to 
conduct videoconferencing for visa interviews; 
and 
‘‘(C) to create mobile interview units to 
process visa applications and conduct visa inter-
views in cities with more than 1,000,000 people 
that do not have a United States embassy or 
consulate.’’. 
SEC. 4. VIDEO CONFERENCE PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c), the Secretary of State— 
(1) shall develop and conduct a pilot program 
for processing B–1 and B–2 visas using secure re-
mote videoconferencing technology as a method for 
conducting visa interviews of applicants; and 
(2) in consultation with other Federal agencies 
that use such secure communications, shall help en-
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sure the security of the videoconferencing trans-
mission and encryption conducted under paragraph 
(1). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the termi-
nation of the pilot program authorized under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
that contains— 
(1) a detailed description of the results of such 
program, including an assessment of the efficacy, ef-
ficiency, 
and 
security 
of 
the 
remote 
videoconferencing technology as a method for con-
ducting visa interviews of applicants; and 
(2) recommendations for whether such program 
should be continued, broadened, or modified. 
(c) LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The pilot program author-
ized under subsection (a) may not be conducted if 
the Secretary of State determines that such pro-
gram— 
(A) poses an undue security risk; and 
(B) cannot be conducted in a manner con-
sistent with maintaining security controls. 
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(2) REPORT.—If the Secretary of State makes 
a determination under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall submit a report to the Committee on Appro-
priations of the Senate and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives that 
describes the reasons for such determination. 
SEC. 
5. 
ENCOURAGING 
CANADIAN 
TOURISM 
TO 
THE 
UNITED STATES. 
(a) CANADIAN RETIREE VISAS.—Section 101(a)(15) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (T)(iii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in subparagraph (U)(iii), by striking ‘‘or’’ 
at the end; 
(3) in subparagraph (V), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(W) subject to section 214(s), an alien 
who the Secretary of Homeland Security deter-
mines— 
‘‘(i) is a citizen of Canada, is older 
than 50 years of age, owns a residence in 
the United States or has signed a rental 
agreement for accommodations in the 
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United States for the duration of the 
alien’s stay in the United States; and 
‘‘(ii) the alien spouse and children of 
the alien described in clause (i) if accom-
panying or following to join the alien; or’’. 
(b) VISA APPLICATION PROCEDURES.—Section 214 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(s) VISAS OF NONIMMIGRANTS DESCRIBED IN SEC-
TION 101(a)(15)(W).— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
authorize the issuance of a nonimmigrant visa to 
any alien described in section 101(a)(15)(W) who 
submits a petition to the Secretary that dem-
onstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that 
the alien— 
‘‘(A) meets the eligibility requirements set 
forth in section 101(a)(15)(W); 
‘‘(B) is not inadmissible under section 212; 
and 
‘‘(C) will comply with the terms set forth 
in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) An alien who is issued a visa under this 
subsection— 
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‘‘(A) is authorized to visit the United 
States during the 3-year period beginning on 
the date on which the visa is issued; 
‘‘(B) may remain in the United States dur-
ing such authorized period for not more than 
240 consecutive days; 
‘‘(C) may renew such visa every 3 years 
under the same terms and conditions; 
‘‘(D) is not authorized to engage in em-
ployment in the United States; and 
‘‘(E) is not eligible for any form of assist-
ance or benefit described in section 403(a) of 
the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 
1613(a)).’’. 
SEC. 6. INCENTIVES FOR FOREIGN VISITORS VISITING THE 
UNITED STATES DURING LOW PEAK SEA-
SONS. 
(a) APPLICATION FEES.—The Secretary of State 
shall give foreign visitors an incentive to apply for a visa 
when the demand is lower by decreasing the visa applica-
tion and issuance fees charged to nonimmigrants de-
scribed in section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(B)) in selected 
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countries during periods when there is low demand for vis-
itor visas in such countries. 
(b) LIMITATION.—In decreasing visa application and 
issuance fees under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) subject to paragraph (2), maximize the de-
mand for such visa applications; and 
(2) maintain the total amount collected from 
such fees. 
SEC. 7. SECURE TRAVEL AND COUNTERTERRORISM PART-
NERSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 217(c)(1) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187(c)(1)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of 
Homeland Security, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, may designate any country 
as a program country if that country meets the 
requirements under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(B) DEFINITIONS.— 
‘‘(i) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL 
COMMITTEES.—The term ‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’ means— 
‘‘(I) the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate; 
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‘‘(II) the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate; 
‘‘(III) the Committee on the Ju-
diciary of the Senate; 
‘‘(IV) the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives; 
‘‘(V) the Committee on Home-
land Security of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
‘‘(VI) the Committee on the Ju-
diciary of the House of Representa-
tives. 
‘‘(ii) PROGRAM COUNTRY.—The term 
‘program country’ means a country des-
ignated as a program country under sub-
paragraph (A).’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1187) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place 
the term appears (except for subsection (c)(11)(B)) 
and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
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(A) in paragraph (2)(C)(iii), by striking 
‘‘Committee on the Judiciary and the Com-
mittee on International Relations of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on the 
Judiciary and the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate’’ and inserting ‘‘appropriate 
congressional committees’’; 
(B) in paragraph (5)(A)(i)(III), by striking 
‘‘Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Home-
land Security, of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on the Judiciary, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations, and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate’’ and inserting 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (7), by striking subpara-
graph (E). 
(c) DESIGNATION OF PROGRAM COUNTRIES.—Sec-
tion 217(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1187(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by amending subpara-
graph (A) to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) 
GENERAL
NUMERICAL
LIMITA-
TIONS.—Either— 
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‘‘(i) the number of refusals of non-
immigrant 
visas 
under 
section 
101(a)(15)(B) for nationals of that coun-
try during the previous fiscal year was not 
more than 3 percent; or 
‘‘(ii) the overstay rate for that coun-
try during the previous fiscal year was not 
more than 3 percent.’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (3) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(3) QUALIFICATION CRITERIA.—After the ini-
tial period, a country may not be designated as a 
program country unless the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
determines, pursuant to paragraph (5), that the des-
ignation will be continued.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5)(A)(i)(II), by striking 
‘‘ought to be continued or terminated under sub-
section (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘under subsection (d) or 
(f), or probation under subsection (f), ought to be 
continued or terminated’’; 
(4) by amending paragraph (6) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(6) COMPUTATION OF VISA REFUSAL RATES; 
JUDICIAL REVIEW.— 
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‘‘(A) COMPUTATION
OF
VISA
REFUSAL 
RATES.—For purposes of determining the eligi-
bility of a country to be designated as a pro-
gram country, the calculation of visa refusal 
rates shall not include any visa refusals which 
incorporate any procedures based on, or are 
otherwise based on, race, sex, or disability, un-
less otherwise specifically authorized by law. 
‘‘(B) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—No court has ju-
risdiction under this section to review any visa 
refusal, the Secretary of State’s computation of 
a visa refusal rate, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security’s computation of an overstay rate, or 
the designation or nondesignation of a country 
as a program country.’’; 
(5) in paragraph (7), as amended by subsection 
(b)(2)(C)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘(3) 
IN GENERAL.—’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (B), (C), 
and (D); 
(6) by amending paragraph (8) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(8) WAIVER
AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of 
Homeland Security, in consultation with the Sec-
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