As we head towards the end of January, 2016, the U.S. Government has now begun implementing changes to its visa policies that will make it harder for some European, Japanese and Australian citizens to travel to the United States in a bid to keep ISIS members out of America.

The new rules apply to the the following: European, Japanese and Australian travelers to the United States who have visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria since 2011 and dual-citizens who have citizenship in one of those countries.

Under the change in the law those people will no longer be able to enter the United States without applying for a travel visa.

Currently, the Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the U.S. without obtaining a visa. Thirty-one of the 38 countries in the program are European nations, with some Asian countries included as well, according to the State Department.

The adjustment in the law was mandated by legislation passed in the wake of November’s deadly ISIS-linked terrorist attacks in Paris, where several of the perpetrators were European citizens.

For more information about the Visa Waiver Program and the latest travel advice for America visit the travel section of the UK  Government website. You’ll also for find useful information on the American Government ETSA website.