This week the INS and State Department simultaneously released rules requiring that permanent residents of Canada and Bermuda must now present a passport and visa when seeking entry to the US. Current rules allow for such individuals to enter the US without a visa. The rule will go into effect on March 17, 2003.

The rule does not apply to citizens of either country. Furthermore, permanent residents of Canada or Bermuda who are citizens of visa waiver countries can still enter the country without a visa under the terms of the visa waiver program.

Security issues are at the heart of the new rule. According to the INS,

"In light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the
Service, in conjunction with the Department of State, has determined
that it is in the public interest to reconsider the existing waiver for
such aliens. Because the Department of State requires special clearance
procedures for nationals of some countries that are beneficiaries of
the waiver, the Department of State and the Service have determined
that requiring a passport and visa for these aliens will provide a
higher level of security for the United States. Current beneficiaries
of the waiver include nationals from countries with high rates of
documentary and immigration fraud and abuse and nationals from
countries with high nonimmigrant refusal rates. In many cases,
documents presented by beneficiaries of the waiver do not meet current
document security standards."