The U.S. Embassy in Romania Announces Possible Reevaluation for the Visa Waiver and New Recommendations for Visa Applicants

The United States Embassy in Bucharest stated that Romania could be reevaluated in the future for inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.

The clarifications were made in an official response to a Mediafax inquiry, in which U.S. diplomats emphasized the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the field of security, although Romania is not currently part of the program.

Recommendations for Romanian Citizens Traveling to the United States

U.S. authorities advise Romanians planning trips to the United States to organize their travel in advance and apply for a visa well before departure. Interview appointments are scheduled online, and information on procedures, refusal rates, and waiting times is available on the official platforms of the Department of State.

The Significance of the Visa Waiver Program

The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating countries to enter the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the Department of State. Romania lost its designation in May 2025 in the context of prioritizing border security and immigration.

Recent Data on Visas Issued to Romanians

In May 2025, 5,857 nonimmigrant visas were issued to Romanian citizens, most of them for tourism and business (B1/B2) and educational and cultural exchange programs (J1). The number is significantly lower than that recorded in May 2024, when more than 10,000 visas were issued.

Context of the Increase in Applications in Previous Years

In 2024, the Romanian Government financially supported the cost of tourist and business visas for certain categories within the public sector in an effort to reduce the refusal rate and increase the chances of joining the Visa Waiver Program. The high number of applications at that time generated interview scheduling delays of several months.

Waiting Times and Refusal Rates

At the beginning of 2026, the average waiting time for scheduling a nonimmigrant visa interview in Bucharest is approximately two weeks. The adjusted refusal rate for B-type visas for Romanian citizens was 8.41% in fiscal year 2025, above the 3% threshold required for initial inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.

Global Trends in U.S. Temporary Visas

Globally, the number of temporary visas issued by the United States increased after the pandemic period, from 4.01 million in 2020 and 2.79 million in 2021 to 10.43 million in 2023 and nearly 11 million in 2024, reflecting the resumption of international mobility.