Romanians will no longer need to visit a U.S. Embassy or consulate to obtain a visa before traveling to the United States for business or tourism, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on January 10.
The department announced that starting on March 31, Romania will be part of the Visa Waiver Program, which simplifies the process of obtaining a visa.
U.S. Ambassador to Romania Kathleen Kavalec told a gathering at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest that it was a “historic moment” for U.S.-Romania relations and the result of several years of work between the two countries.
“With today’s announcement, it is clear that our relations are only getting stronger,” Kavalec said. “I expect it will supercharge our relationship, giving a boost to our growing economic ties, encouraging more investment in both directions.”
She said the change will allow most Romanian travelers visiting the United States for business or tourism to skip in-person visits to an embassy or consulate and long waits for approval.
The Visa Waiver Program processes applications online, saving travelers money and lowering barriers for Romanian businesses, Kavalec said.
SEE ALSO: Romanians, Bulgarians Celebrate Joining EU's Schengen ZoneThe online application, known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), must be completed before travelers leave for the United States, and Kavalec said the processing time in most cases will be less than three days.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu told the embassy gathering the decision was the "success of the entire Romanian society" and noted that it comes after the lifting of the European Union land border controls.
Romania and Bulgaria celebrated on January 1 when the two EU members gained full entry into the bloc’s free-travel Schengen Zone.
Romania became the 43rd country to enter the Visa Waiver Program. Bulgarian citizens do not yet have access to it.