US officially exempts visas for Israeli citizens

According to the Times of Israel , Israeli citizens officially became eligible to travel to the United States without a visa on Thursday, October 19.

The US had previously added Israel to its Visa Waiver Program on September 27 and it took two months for the policy to take effect. However, the US government has shortened the deadline.

Countries that want to participate in the US visa waiver program must meet several criteria.

Israeli citizens with biometric passports can now travel to the United States by applying through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) up to 72 hours before their trip. If approved, Israelis will be able to stay for up to 90 days on tourism or business trips without first obtaining a U.S. visa.

Israelis who still have valid visas can continue to use them until they expire. Those over 18 years of age without a biometric passport will not be eligible to apply for an ESTA.

Previously, Israelis were forced to wait months, sometimes just to get an appointment to get a visa.

Israel has sought to join the US Visa Waiver Program for decades, but last fiscal year was one of the first times it met a key requirement — a visa refusal rate below 3%.

In contrast, Israel grants all American visitors the same “reciprocity” that the United States grants to citizens of participating countries.

However, the United States will continue to monitor Israel's compliance with the program's requirements and reserves the right to suspend or terminate Israel's membership if it violates the terms.

Currently, citizens of 41 countries and territories around the world are members of the US Visa Waiver Program. In Asia-Pacific, citizens of the following countries and territories do not need a visa to enter the US, including Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the two Southeast Asian countries Brunei and Singapore.

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