Romanians will soon be able to travel to the United States without a visa, starting in 2025, as confirmed by the Romanian Embassy in Washington. This announcement follows the US State Department’s declaration that Romania has met the necessary visa refusal rate criteria to join the Visa Waiver Program, according to Schengen.News.
The visa refusal rate for Romanian passport holders is currently 2.61%, which qualifies Romania for the program. For the fiscal year 2024, which runs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, the refusal rate for tourist visa applications from Romania has fallen below the 3% threshold mandated by US law. During this period, Romanians submitted 80,596 B1/B2 visa applications—nearly double the number from the previous year—with over 78,000 applications approved, marking a record high.
Romanian Ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, emphasized that joining the Visa Waiver Program will enhance relations between Romania and the United States. He described the process as fair and transparent, noting that it is nearing completion. Ambassador Muraru stated that this change will foster stronger connections between people in both countries and contribute to a more prosperous partnership.
While Romania has successfully met the criteria for the Visa Waiver Program, two other EU nations—Cyprus and Bulgaria—are still working towards this goal. Cyprus submitted a proposal to join in July 2024 and hopes to be included next year. Meanwhile, Bulgaria aims to lower its visa rejection rates and plans to launch an awareness campaign about joining the program.
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