U.S. rescinds Romania's visa-free access amid security review
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the removal of Romania from the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP). The decision was made just before the presidential elections in Romania and aims to bolster the United States' border and immigration security.
What do you need to know?
- The decision to remove Romania from the Visa Waiver Programme was announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The department stated that the decision aims to ensure border and immigration security.
- Romania was admitted to the Visa Waiver Programme by the previous U.S. administration, despite security concerns. The new administration has suspended this status in order to review it.
- Romania can reapply for participation in the programme 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, quoted in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's communiqué.
The U.S. removed Romania from the visa waiver programme
On Friday, just two days before the first round of the repeated presidential elections in Romania, the American DHS announced that the country had been removed from the visa waiver programme.
The decision by the Romanian Constitutional Court to annul the first round of last year's presidential elections, won by the far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, was strongly criticised by representatives of the Trump administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Romania was set to be the 43rd member of the programme, and its admission was announced ten days before the end of the previous administration's term. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised at the time that Romania had made years-long efforts to meet all the programme's requirements.
Romania's admission to the programme was due to become effective on 31 March, 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 Programme on 25 March to review the country's admission to the programme.
In Friday's communiqué, the current government criticised the previous Joe Biden administration for admitting Bucharest to the programme "despite security concerns" in the final days of its term.
Formally, Romania can reapply for participation in the Visa Waiver Programme if it meets the statutory eligibility criteria.
