<P> Separate from the Visa Waiver Program, 8 U.S.C. § 1182 (d) (4) (B) permits the Attorney General and the Secretary of State (acting jointly) to waive visa requirements for admission to the United States in nonimmigrant status for nationals of foreign contiguous territories or adjacent islands or for residents of those territories or islands who have a common nationality with those nationals . The regulations relating to such admissions can be found at 8 C.F.R. 212.1 . </P> <P> Restrictions on the use of the Visa Waiver Program do not affect this class of travellers unless separately provided for by statute or regulation . For example, a Canadian citizen who has briefly overstayed a previous visit to the U.S. (by less than 180 days) will still not require a visa for future visits, while a VWP national who overstays will become ineligible for the VWP for life and will need a visa for future visits . </P> <P> Until 2003, this visa waiver was granted not only to citizens of those countries and territories, but to permanent residents of Bermuda and Canada who were citizens of Commonwealth of Nations countries or of Ireland . In 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service announced that it would be terminating the visa waiver for non-citizen permanent residents of Bermuda and Canada; thenceforth, those Canadian & Bermudian permanent residents who were citizens of a Visa Waiver Program country could enjoy visa - free entry to the United States under that program, while citizens of other countries would be required to possess a valid advance visa for entry to the United States . </P> <P> Bahamian citizens do not require a visa to enter the United States if they apply for entry at one of the Preclearance Facilities located in Nassau or Freeport International Airports . Bahamian citizens must not have had a criminal conviction or ineligibility, violated U.S. immigration laws in the past and must be in possession of valid, unexpired passport or a Bahamian Travel Document indicating that they have Bahamian citizenship . In addition to a passport, all applicants 14 years of age or older must present a police certificate issued by the Royal Bahamas Police Force within the past six months . All Bahamians applying for admission at a port - of - entry other than the Preclearance Facilities located in Nassau or Freeport International Airports are required to be in possession of a valid visa to enter the United States . </P>

Is canada part of the visa waiver program