jesseps Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Two US senators unveiled a bill Thursday that aims to attract Chinese and Canadian tourists and encourage some foreign nationals to buy homes -- and pay taxes -- on US soil. The proposal, crafted by Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator Mike Lee, would allow Chinese nationals currently required to apply for a new US visa every year to seek five-year, multiple-entry visitor visas. The average Chinese visitor to the United States spends $6,000, the lawmakers said in a statement showcasing their "Visa Improvements to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States of America Act (VISIT-USA Act)." The bill also envisions a "Canadian retiree visa" for Canadians over 50 who can show that they have housing available for their stay to obtain a visa that lasts 240 days a year and is renewable every three years. Currently, Canadian visitors without a visa cannot stay longer than 180 days, but "many" would stay longer "during periods where the weather is still cold" if legally permitted, the senators said in their statement. With the US housing market still in a slump triggered by the 2007-2008 global economic meltdown, the bill would provide an unprecedented three-yearresidential visa for foreign nationals who invest $500,000 in a US home. At least $250,000 must go to a primary residence in which the buyer will live for at least 180 days out of the year "while paying taxes to the US," the statement said. Beneficiaries would not be eligible for government aid programs and "the program would not serve as a path to citizenship," the statement said. "Our housing market will never begin a true recovery as long as our housing stock so greatly exceeds demand. This is not a cure-all, but it could be part of the solution," said Schumer. "This bill supports a free market method for increasing demand for housing at a time when so many working-class Americans are underwater on their homes, are desperate for prices to rise again, and big-government programs have failed to work," said Lee. The bill would also allow the US State Department to charge a fee to expedite visa processing, a move the senators said could entice "people of means" who skip US destinations because of the waiting times for visas. And it would permit the department to lower its visa fees during off-peak seasons for travel in order to attract tourists, as well as expedite visas for countries deemed to be helping to battle Al-Qaeda. The potent US Chamber of Commerce endorsed the legislation, with president Thomas Donohue saying that travel and tourism account for more than $700 billion in revenues and 7.4 million US jobs. "These important reforms could help the United States restore its share of the travel market to its 2000 level of 17 percent and create an additional 1.3 million jobs by 2020," said Donohue. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jk162UUpJfgGma16l7tAmrNPBShQ?docId=CNG.51741d44ded9b31056a85d8267330981.b31 Not sure any Canadians who would want to get a US Visa and start paying even more taxes. True, you will be able to work in the states, but I do not see the reward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Yeah, they must think we are idiots to spend so much just to stay a paltry 60 days! Just hop over the border to buy some back bacon every 6 months and go back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesseps Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Obama signed an executive order Jan. 19 giving the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State 60 days to come up with a plan to process visa applications from China and Brazil more quickly. The order recommends shortening the process to three weeks from four months. Visa processing capacity in China and Brazil must be increased by 40 percent in the next year, according to the order. The resulting increase in U.S. tourism could create 1.3 million jobs and add $850 billion to the economy by 2020, the National Retail Federation said in a Jan. 19 report, citing the U.S. Travel Association. The Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform said Obama’s order, which calls for less stringent screening, increases potential for “terrorism and visa overstays,” the group, which advocates tougher border patrol, said in a statement on its website. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-31/tourism-seen-adding-850-billion-with-obama-s-new-visas-retail.html All the best to them, as long as they use this new source of revenue to fix their debt issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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