The government of the United States has admitted Israel into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), meaning that the latter’s citizens will be eligible to enter visa-free to the US starting from November 30.
An administration official considered Israel’s admittance into the Visa Waiver program an important achievement in the 75-year-old US-Israel partnership, VisaGuide.World reports.
But, the official said that such a decision was taken not as a favour but because it benefits both the United States and Israeli interests.
“The steps Israel has taken to qualify for VWP will not only increase US border, immigration, and counterterrorism security, it will also facilitate legitimate travel and commerce between our countries and our peoples,” the official said, according to an NBC News report.
According to a Reuters report, the deadline for Israel to show compliance with the United States is September 30. If successful, it would offer a win for the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, whose relations with Washington have been strained over its plans to overhaul the judiciary and over its policies towards the Palestinians.
“Israel joining the Visa Waiver Program is a diplomatic achievement and good news for all Israeli citizens,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said earlier this week.
On Monday, the AUS State Department spokesperson said that a financial decision on Israel’s candidacy was not made yet, stressing that the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State will decide in the following days.
The accession of Israel to the US Visa Waiver Program was also welcomed by the US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He considered that the new changes would further strengthen the security as well as economic and people-to-people connections between the US and Israel.
For a period from July 20, Israel loosened access for Palestinian Americans through its borders and in and out of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
According to Reuters, between 45,000 to 60,000 Palestinian Americans live in the West Bank, according to the estimations from a US official. However, an Israeli official provided lower figures, stressing that of 70,000 to 90,000 Palestinian Americans worldwide, 15,000 to 20,000 are West Bank residents.
In addition, at present, there are 40 countries in the VWP. Countries are not added frequently. Croatia was the latest to become part of this program in 2021.
Citizens from countries included in the US Visa Waiver Program can enter the US for business or tourism purposes without following visa requirements for up to 90 days. The purpose must be the same as those for the B1 visa or the B2 visa.
