Romania Will Resolve the Issue of Visa Waiver Delays With US, Romanian President Says

The interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, has stated that adequate authorities will soon clarify the delay of membership to the US Visa Waiver programme, which was postponed once the Trump administration came into power.

According to Romania-Insider, the President made these remarks during a press conference, pointing out that joining the Visa Waiver programme is not essential only for those travelling to the US but also for the “broader perception of Romanians,” Schengen.News reports.

The President also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which are responsible for having this matter resolved, will clarify the next steps so that Romanians will soon be permitted to travel visa-free to the US. 

Romania’s Membership to Visa Waiver Programme Currently Under Review 
Last year, Romania completed all the criteria set by the US government to be eligible to enter the Visa Waiver Programme. Some of the conditions set include cooperating with the US in terms of data and information exchange and lowering visa refusal rates. 

The requirement to lower visa rejection rates to three per cent was particularly challenging for Romania. In 2024, less than three per cent of applications filed by Romanian applicants for US visas received negative decisions. 

Shortly after, the Romanian government announced that Romanians would travel visa-free to the US starting in March, with the decision being confirmed by the Romanian Ambassador to the US.

However, the decision was not implemented, and the DHS website shows countries that are on the Visa Waiver Programme, including Romania, which is currently set on “paused” from “to be announced”. 

The Trump administration, which came into power in January, has implemented several stringent measures, especially regarding migration. Due to these changes, US embassies in 17 EU countries have advised travellers that they could be deported if they fail to comply with the rules in the States.

Source: https://schengen.news/romania-will-resolve-the-issue-of-visa-waiver-delays-with-us-romanian-president-says/