Even with the current administration putting the strictness of United States border rules under the international spotlight, residents of over 40 countries can come to the states as tourists without applying for a visa.
In July 1988, the United Kingdom became the first nation to be added to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (WVP), while Japan was the second a few months later. Six European countries including France, Germany, and Italy were added in 1989. Over the decades, the program was periodically reworked and expanded to include more countries — at one point as many as 43 — based on factors like their GDP and Human Development Index.
In the last days of former President Joseph Biden’s administration, Romania became the latest nation admitted to the program, granting citizens the ability to stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days as tourists.
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Membership scrapped in order to ‘protect border and immigration security’
While the new rule took effect on March 31, the Trump administration once again revoked visa-free entry for Romanians on May 2.
“Given this Administration’s focus on border and immigration security, DHS decided that Romania’s designation should be rescinded in order to protect the integrity of the VWP and to ensure border and immigration security,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote in a statement.
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The inclusion of the country into the program had been under review since March 25, so in total, Romanians were able to come to the U.S. visa-free for just over one month. As of May 3, they now need to once again apply for a visa at the U.S. embassy in Bucharest.
The revocation also comes at a time when Romania is conducting a new round of presidential elections after the country’s constitutional court annulled December voting results over concerns of political interference and election integrity.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance had previously expressed support for far-right candidate Calin Georgescu and criticized the voiding of his win in the first round (fellow far-right ultranationalist George-Nicolae Simion has now won the first round of voting on May 2).
Bucharest is the capital of Romania and home to 1.7 million people.
Image source: Shutterstock
DHS talks of ‘close partnership’ with Romania over the years
Simion had previously told Romanian news outlets that he expected the visa to be withdrawn “as soon as we go back to democracy.”
“We are grateful for Romania’s close partnership over the years to enhance security cooperation,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, while adding that “Romania may be reconsidered for VWP admission in the future.”
More on travel:
United Airlines places big bet on new flights to trendy destinationGovernment issues new travel advisory on popular beach destinationAnother country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors
In a statement on the DHS announcement, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said that it has “regretfully noted” the decision and “regrets [it], given that Romania has fulfilled all the elements that American law stipulates for accession.”
Along with having low rates of embassy visa applications at the time of consideration, these measures include issuing biometric passports and taking specific counterterrorism and law enforcement measures asked for by the U.S. government.
Prior to Biden’s decision to include Romania, the newest countries to be added to VWP include Qatar in November 2024 and Israel in September 2023. The last admission before that came when Croatia was added in 2021.
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