Romania is set to become a participant in the Visa Waiver program in 2025, says the Romanian ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, which was confirmed by Kathleen Kavalec, the US ambassador in Bucharest, who added that Romanians will enjoy visa-free travel to the US by 2025 ‘at the earliest’.
Romania will “certainly” join the Visa Waiver program in 2025, Muraru told Digi24.
“We have no doubt that it will not happen. In the case of Romania, an official announcement is expected around February 2025, with the implementation taking place within the same year,” the diplomat said.
Romanians, Bulgarians, and Cypriots are the only EU citizens still needing a visa to enter the US.
On Monday, Kavalec said that the earliest possible date for Romania’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program would be in early 2025.
”It can’t be earlier than 2025 because we have to measure the rejection rate annually, from 1 October to 1 October. If everything goes well, probably be early 2025. It depends on many things, but I think we are on the right track,” the US ambassador said.
Last year, the rejection rate for Romanian visa applications to the USA stood at 17%, but to enter the Visa Waiver, it must be below 3%.
A bill recommending the inclusion of Romania in the Visa Waiver program was presented to the US Senate in March.
The “Romania Visa Waiver Act of 2023” encourages the Romanian Government to intensify its efforts in combating human trafficking and fulfilling the technical criteria for participation in the Visa Waiver Program.
(Cătălina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)
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