U.S. Homeland Security pulls Romania from Visa Waiver Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the removal of Romania from the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This decision was made just before the presidential elections in Romania and aims to enhance the "border and immigration security" of the United States.
What you need to know
- The decision to remove Romania from the Visa Waiver Program was announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The department stated that the move is intended to ensure border and immigration security.
- Romania was admitted to the Visa Waiver Program by the previous U.S. administration despite security concerns. The new administration has suspended this status to review it.
- Romania can reapply for participation in the program if it meets the required criteria.
"Maintaining the Visa Waiver Program’s high standards is essential to our national security. In light of this Administration’s focus on border and immigration security, the Secretary of Homeland Security has decided, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to rescind Romania’s VWP designation effective immediately," stated Tricia McLaughlin, the Deputy Secretary, as quoted in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) communiqué.
The U.S. removes Romania from the Visa Waiver Program
On Friday, just two days before the first round of the repeated presidential elections in Romania, the American DHS announced the removal of the country from the visa waiver program.
The decision by Romania's Constitutional Court to invalidate the first round of last year's presidential elections, won by the far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, was strongly criticized by representatives of the Trump administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Romania was set to become the 43rd member of the program, with its admission announced just 10 days before the end of the previous administration's term. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted at that time that Romania had made significant efforts over years to meet all the program's requirements.
Romania's admission to the program was scheduled to take effect on March 31, when Romanians were to begin submitting electronic travel registration applications through the ESTA system. The new Donald Trump administration suspended Romania's participation in the Visa Waiver Program on March 25 to review the country's admission to the program.
In Friday's communiqué, the current government criticized the previous Joe Biden administration for admitting Bucharest to the program "despite security concerns" in the final days of its term.
Formally, Romania can reapply for participation in the Visa Waiver Program if it meets the statutory eligibility criteria.
