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Updated on 05.05.2025
Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program with ESTA was recently reviewed. It has now been announced that membership has been revoked.
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After the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently reviewed and suspended Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), the planned visa-free entry for Romania has now been finally withdrawn.
Romania's inclusion in the Electronic System For Travel Authorization (ESTA) has therefore been revoked with immediate effect.
The US government explains its decision with the need to ensure the high security standards of the Visa Waiver Program and to protect the integrity of the program as well as border and immigration security. The decision was made after a new review of the security situation and Romania's compliance with the legal criteria.
Romanian nationals will still not be able to enter the United States visa-free with ESTA. Romanian travelers to the USA must apply for a US visa instead. For business or leisure travel to the United States, B-1 / B-2 Visitor visas are still required, which must be applied for at a US embassy or US consulate.
Valid B-1 / B-2 visas that have already been issued remain valid and can still be used for travel to the United States.
According to the DHS, Romania may be considered for the Visa Waiver Program again in the future, provided all requirements are met.
The Biden administration initially confirmed the admission on January 10, 2025 and announced implementation by the end of March 2025 at the latest.
This is due to the fact that Romania met an important requirement for participation in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in November 2024: One of the decisive factors was the rejection rate for B-1 / B-2 visas in the US Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, which was 2.61 % and therefore below the required threshold of 3 %.
The 2024 US Fiscal Year is between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024, during which time Romanian nationals worldwide filed 80,596 applications for B-1 / B-2 visas, twice as many as the previous year. According to the Romanian embassy in the USA, 78,000 of these visa applications were approved.
Despite temporary optimism, the visa requirement for the USA remains in place. Romanian citizens who would have benefited from the planned visa exemption must still apply for a B-1 / B-2 visa.
The exclusion from the Visa Waiver Program is a step backwards for US travelers - especially for Romanian business travelers and transatlantic operating companies.
However, a future inclusion of Romania in the program for visa-free travel with ESTA is not excluded.
We are monitoring developments and will inform you as soon as there are any changes.
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