The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the State Department under President Donald Trump have officially removed Romania from the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Interestingly, former President Joe Biden had just confirmed Romania’s inclusion in the VWP before this decision, despite ongoing security issues.
The news of Romania’s removal was reported by Breitbart News, following a review of the admissions of Eastern European nations.
The VWP is a sought-after program that lets individuals from certain countries enter the U.S. without a visa, allowing stays of up to 90 days.
Romania was initially suspended from the VWP in March, just after Biden’s administration declared it would join the program in January.
To qualify for the VWP, countries need to meet specific requirements, including keeping visa overstay rates below 3%.
Romania’s overstay rate was 2.61% for 2024, but figures from previous years were significantly higher—almost 9% in 2023, nearly 13% in 2022, and over 17% in 2021.
A White House official commented to Breitbart News that there are rising concerns about recent political changes in Europe, particularly regarding democratic backsliding. “Efforts to limit people’s choices raise questions about our shared values,” the official stated.
“A healthy democracy embraces diverse viewpoints. Attempts to ban specific political ideas bear striking resemblances to the challenges President Trump faced, including issues related to law and censorship,” the official added.
As noted by Breitbart News, the VWP has previously been exploited by international robbery gangs that used it to gain easy access to the United States, particularly targeting affluent Americans.
Since 1986, nearly every presidential administration has expanded the VWP despite various security warnings highlighted in a report from the 9/11 Commission.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can reach him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
