Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act

Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act - Title I: Permanent Program Authorization - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) to make the visa waiver pilot program permanent. Title II: Program Improvements - Amends the Act to grant program privileges to countries that extend reciprocal program privileges either directly with the United States or in conjunction with a designated program participant country and have with such country a common immigration admissions area. (Sec. 202) Establishes deadlines for: (1) participating countries to have a machine readable passport program that is issuing such passports (October 1, 2003); and (2) alien visitors to have such passports (October 1, 2007). Requires programs and passports to meet the international standard for machine readability. (Sec. 203) Requires an automated system check of visitor identity and admissibility, and provides that an alien denied program entry may seek entry only through visa application. Prohibits administrative or judicial review of entry denial. (Sec. 204) Requires periodic written evaluations of a participating country's effect on U.S. law enforcement and security interests. Provides for emergency (war, disruptive social unrest, overthrow of a democratic government, financial crisis) recission of program designation. (Sec. 205) Directs the Attorney General to develop and implement an automated entry-exit program control system by October 1, 2001, which shall include data provision by participating sea or air carriers. Sets forth related recordkeeping and reporting provisions. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of State to develop and implement an automated data sharing system, which shall, by October 1, 2002, supply immigration officers conducting port of entry inspections with available photographs and inadmissibility information with respect to aliens seeking program entry. (Sec. 206) Prohibits, in determining visa refusal rates for program eligibility purposes, the use of procedures based upon race, sex, or disability, unless authorized by law or regulation. (Sec. 207) Sets forth required visa waiver information and reporting provisions. Title III: Immigration Status of Alien Employees of INTELSAT after Privatization - Provides for the maintenance of nonimmigrant and special immigrant status of alien officers and employees (and immediate family members) of INTELSAT after its privatization (including precursory employment with a successor entity before completion of privatization), during the period of continued employment with INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity. (Sec. 302) Treats as qualifying circumstances managerial or executive employment for INTELSAT or a successor entity by a nonimmigrant alien seeking to adjust to permanent resident status as a multinational executive or manager. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Act to exempt certain restructured employers from H-1B employee visa petition requirements. (Sec. 402) Amends the Department of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 to extend the immigrant investors pilot program. Revises qualifying criteria. (Sec. 403) Amends the Act to include business airplanes as carriers within the visa waiver program. (Sec. 404) Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to revise foreign student information collection and fee provisions. Extends the program expansion deadline. Redefines "designated exchange visitor program" as a program designated by the Secretary of State rather than the Director of the United States Information Agency.

Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act - Title I: Permanent Program Authorization - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make the visa waiver pilot program permanent. Title II: Program Improvements - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant program privileges to countries that extend reciprocal program privileges either directly with the United States or in conjunction with a designated program participant country and have with such country a common immigration admissions area. (Sec. 202) Establishes deadlines for: (1) participating countries to have a machine readable passport program that is issuing such passports (October 1, 2003); and (2) alien visitors to have such passports (October 1, 2006). Requires programs and passports to meet the international standard for machine readability. (Sec. 203) Requires an automated system check of visitor identity and admissibility, and provides that an alien denied program entry may seek entry only through visa application. Prohibits, with respect to an alien denied program entry: (1) administrative or judicial review; or (2) parole entry except under interests of compelling health or public interest. (Sec. 204) Requires periodic written evaluations of a participating country's effect on U.S. law enforcement and security interests. Provides for emergency (war, disruptive social unrest, overthrow of a democratic government, financial crisis) and automatic (failure to file required reports for the five preceding years) recission of program designation. (Sec. 205) Directs the Attorney General to develop and implement an automated entry-exit program control system by October 1, 2001, which shall include data provision by participating sea or air carriers. Sets forth related recordkeeping and reporting provisions. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of State to develop and implement an automated data sharing system, which shall, by October 1, 2002, supply immigration officers conducting port of entry inspections with available photographs and inadmissibility information with respect to aliens seeking program entry. (Sec. 206) Prohibits, in determining visa refusal rates for program eligibility purposes, the use of procedures based upon race, sex, sexual orientation, or disability, unless authorized by law or regulation.

Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act - Title I: Permanent Program Authorization - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make the visa waiver pilot program permanent. Title II: Program Improvements - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant program privileges to countries that extend reciprocal program privileges either directly with the United States or in conjunction with a designated program participant country and have with such country a common immigration admissions area. (Sec. 202) Establishes deadlines for: (1) participating countries to have a machine readable passport program that is issuing such passports (October 1, 2003); and (2) alien visitors to have such passports (October 1, 2006). Requires programs and passports to meet the international standard for machine readability. (Sec. 203) Requires an automated system check of visitor identity and admissibility, and provides that an alien denied program entry may seek entry only through visa application. Prohibits, with respect to an alien denied program entry: (1) administrative or judicial review; or (2) parole entry except under interests of compelling health or public interest. (Sec. 204) Requires periodic written evaluations of a participating country's effect on U.S. law enforcement and security interests. Provides for emergency (war, disruptive social unrest, overthrow of a democratic government, financial crisis) and automatic (failure to file required reports for the five preceding years) recission of program designation. (Sec. 205) Directs the Attorney General to develop and implement an automated entry-exit program control system by October 1, 2001, which shall include data provision by participating sea or air carriers. Sets forth related recordkeeping and reporting provisions. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of State to develop and implement an automated data sharing system, which shall, by October 1, 2002, supply immigration officers conducting port of entry inspections with available photographs and inadmissibility information with respect to aliens seeking program entry. (Sec. 206) Prohibits, in determining visa refusal rates for program eligibility purposes, the use of procedures based upon race, sex, sexual orientation, or disability, unless authorized by law or regulation.

Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act - Title I: Permanent Program Authorization - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make the visa waiver pilot program permanent. Title II: Program Improvements - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant program privileges to countries that extend reciprocal program privileges either directly with the United States or in conjunction with a designated program participant country and have with such country a common immigration admissions area. (Sec. 202) Establishes deadlines for: (1) participating countries to have a machine readable passport program; and (2) alien visitors to have such passports. Requires such programs and passports to meet the international standard for machine readability. (Sec. 203) Requires an automated system check of visitor admissibility, and provides that an alien denied program entry may seek entry only through visa application. Prohibits with respect to an alien denied program entry: (1) administrative or judicial review; or (2) parole entry except under compelling public interest. (Sec. 204) Requires periodic written evaluations of a participating country's effect on U.S. law enforcement and security interests. Provides for emergency and automatic recission of program designation. (Sec. 205) Provides for an automated entry-exit program control system, which shall include data provision by participating sea or air carriers. Sets forth related recordkeeping and agency data sharing provisions.