On 28 September 2007, a meeting took place between Foreign Ministry State Secretary Normans Penke and representatives of the U.S. Embassy: Deputy Ambassador Stuart Seldowitz, and Embassy Consul Stephen Frahm, to discuss the situation regarding Latvia's joining of the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. Mr Penke indicated that Latvia's situation overall satisfied the U.S. legal requirements in the security area. The U.S. Embassy representatives emphasised that both Latvia and the United States should continue work in respect of all criteria provided by law. The U.S. plans to introduce an electronic travel authorisation programme and control mechanism which would count passengers departing the United States (exit system). Until U.S. institutions have implemented the two criteria referred to, no country will be accepted into the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. As indicated by the U.S. Consul, the number of rejected visa applications from Latvian residents to the U.S. decreases every year. The number of visas rejected for Latvian residents applying for a visa outside Latvia is greater. State Secretary Penke invited experts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to participate in the next Latvia - U.S. Consular Task Group conference in Riga. During his visit to Riga in March, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Nathan Sales participated in the previous conference of the Task Group in this format, and acknowledged his familiarisation with the work of Latvian institutions in the immigration field as useful.