The United States Senate approved a Bill on Thursday that would ease visa restrictions for 13 countries including Malta. The House of Representatives is expected to pass the Bill this week, which would then need only President George W. Bush’s signature to make it law.

On Thursday, Paul Rosenzweig, an assistant secretary in the Department of Homeland Security discussed the proposed visa waiver programme with representatives of affected countries at a meeting in Prague. “These reforms, if approved by Congress, would enhance the overall elements of the security program and eventually permit visa-free travel to the United States for citizens of the countries that meet security elements,” Rosenzweig explained in a statement.

President Bush indicated in November that he intended to work with the Congress on the Bill.

The 13 countries are new EU members Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, old EU member Greece, and South Korea.