Israel Clears Key Barrier To Join US Visa Waiver Program

In the fiscal year 2022, fewer Israelis were denied visas to visit the United States, dropping below the 3% level required to be admitted for the first time. U.S. Visa Waiver Program Israel’s embassy released a statement.

U.S.: “Israel has taken a significant stride toward the visa waiver program.” Thomas Nides, an ambassador to Israel, tweeted on Monday. There is still a lot of work to be done, he continued.

We’re saying today that the rejection rate for visa waivers is under 3%, but we’re still not there.

Israel must still undergo the same process as 40 other nations to join the visa waiver program, which includes dropping its percentage of visa refusals to 3%.

Through the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, nationals of participating nations can enter the country and get a tourist visa at the port of entry.

By doing this, they are spared the hassle of initially obtaining a visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate in their place of residence.

The U.S. says that enrolling in the visa waiver program is complicated. The embassy statement kept going.

“The government of Israel must complete all conditions before being admitted to the program, and much work must be completed quickly. The Knesset will need to take action first. For Israel to be eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, three pieces of legislation must be passed.

“Second, the Israeli government will need to act rapidly to set up the numerous technical procedures necessary to qualify for the Visa Waiver Program across all government ministries.

These are particular to data exchange and traveler screening, including the creation, deployment, and testing of information systems.

The U.S. fiscal year ends in September 2023, and Israel has until then to take these steps and adopt the necessary legislation.

And lastly, reciprocity of travel is a crucial prerequisite for enrollment in this program.

We advocate for fair treatment and the freedom to travel for all U.S. citizens, including Palestinian Americans desiring to enter or pass through Israel, regardless of their country of origin, religion, or ethnicity.

This entails that anyone who is a United States citizen with an American passport will be able to fly to Israel for brief stays of up to 90 days, including trips into and out of the West Bank via Ben Gurion Airport.