Speech #860102448

Chairman. I wish to invite the attention of the House to a case of misleading propaganda appearing in the RECORD of July 27. 1959. on pages 14286 to 14287. The American Automobile Association. interested in the promotion of a campaign designed to stimulate Family name Home address Given name visits to the United .States. has sent around as an "atrocity exhibit." an application form described as a questionnaire which every foreign visitor must allegedly fill out before he can obtain a nonimmigrant visa which will permit him to come to this country as a tourist. The application printed in the RECORD looks very impressive except for the fact that it is not what it purports to be. Plainly it is not an application or a questionnaire which a tourist coming to the United States for pleasure or for business is required to fill out. The application is one that is used by only some of the consular offices in more difficult immigrant cases and is designed to be executed by aliens who intend to come to the United States as immigrants. to reside here permanently. and to become. eventually. citizens of the United States. Contrary to what the AAA says. no tourist is required to fill that application. The truth is that a tourist is required to fill out a small card containing nothing besides basic identifying data required by law. A sample of this card is as follows: I.Iiddle name I Travel document Place and date of birth Day Mo. Year I Complexion Hair Eyes Height I Weight I Nationality I Marks Marital I Sex Race Length and purpose of stay in U.S. Status OW OD IF Possession of a visa does not entitle bearer to enter Signature of applicant the U.S. if upon arrival at a port of entry he is found i inadmissible. Subscribed and sworn to before me on: Form FS257 (1259) -G The Immigration and Nationality Act has greatly facilitated the free movement of tourists to the United States. The number of tourists admitted to the United States has risen from 353.754 in the fiscal year 1954. to 471.969 in 1956. and to 596.004 in the fiscal year 1958. The current rate of admission of foreign tourists. students. businessmen. newspapermen. and other categories of nonimmigrants is rising steadily and of course. no complaints whatsoever are raised by anyone who is required to fill out the very simple form.