THE Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without having to apply for a traditional visa (but rather a ESTA). It's a key facilitator of cross-border trade and a potential engine for the economy, especially tourism.
In January 2025, just before the start of the second term of office of Donald Trump the Biden administration added Romania to the list of countries benefiting from the VWP. Romania became the 43rd country admitted and the 4th under the Biden administration, after Croatia, Israel and Qatar.
This decision followed the satisfaction of strict security criteria, including partnerships with US law enforcement agencies to share information on terrorism and serious crime. Entry into force was scheduled for March 31, 2025.
Removal by the Trump administration
However, this decision was quickly called into question. In March 2025, the Trump administration announced that it would reconsider Romania's inclusion in the program,"in line with the Trump administration's focus on securing the Homeland“.
Then, at the end of March 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had paused implementation of the program to conduct a security reassessment. This reassessment, according to DHS, concluded that removing the designation was necessary to maintain program integrity and ensure border and immigration security. The DHS cited "safety concerns“.
Finally, the Trump administration revoked Romania's admission to the VWP, a decision announced on May 2, 2025 by the DHS who criticized the Biden administration's initial decision.
What does this mean for Romanian travelers?
The direct consequence of this revocation is that Romanian citizens must once again obtain a visa to travel to the USA. This process, which can take several months and costs around 185$, represents additional bureaucracy and may deter some from traveling.
This situation creates an imbalance in travel arrangements between the two countries, as US citizens remain eligible to visit Romania for similar durations without a visa. Travel industry experts predict that Romania could experience a significant drop in travel to the USA, potentially affecting the airlines and tourism sector serving this route.
A link with the Romanian elections? We wouldn't dare believe it...
This American decision coincides with a turbulent political period in Romania. The announcement of the VWP's revocation comes just two days before the first round of the Romanian presidential election, which is a "replay" (do-over) following the cancellation of the previous year's ballot.
This election, cancelled the previous year, was won in the first round by Călin Georgescua little-known ultranationalist, amid allegations of illegal campaigning and Russian interference. Analysts describe the current election as one of the most turbulent in the country's post-communist history.
Although DHS didn't explicitly link the VWP's removal to the canceled election, some perceived it as such. JD VanceAmerican Vice President, criticized Romania in February for cancelling the presidential election.
Some Romanian politicians have commented on the situation in the context of the elections. George Simiona far-right presidential candidate who describes himself as a "Trumpist" and who was expected to lead the first round of voting on Sunday, predicted that the visa requirement for Romanians would soon be removed, "as soon as democracy is restored". Simion visited Washington last month and met with DHS officials.
Despite the revocation, DHS said Romania "could be reconsidered"for the VWP program "in the future if it meets the statutory eligibility criteria".
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed regret at the US decision, saying that Romania complies with all the requirements for visa-free travel. However, the Ministry also stated that this was a "political decision that is at the discretion of the US authorities and reflects the priorities of the administration". The Romanian government has said it wants to continue working with the Trump administration and believes the election of a new Romanian president "could represent the most important moment for our country to ask our American partners to resume acceptance in the Visa Waiver Program as soon as possible.“.
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