US Considering Adding Israel, Romania, Bulgaria to Visa Waiver Program

Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at JFK International Airport in New York City, US, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at JFK International Airport in New York City, US, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
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US Considering Adding Israel, Romania, Bulgaria to Visa Waiver Program

Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at JFK International Airport in New York City, US, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at JFK International Airport in New York City, US, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Tuesday the United States is considering adding four countries to its visa waiver program that allows citizens to come to America without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days.

"We have four candidates in the pipeline: Israel, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania," Mayorkas said on Tuesday at a travel industry event. "We're very, very focused on the program," he added, saying it provides significant economic and security benefits.

In September, the United States added Croatia to the visa waiver program. US Travel Association Chief Executive Roger Dow said on Tuesday adding Croatia is a $100 million boost to the US economy. "Each time you add one of these countries, the travel just booms," Dow said.

The White House said in after a meeting between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that Biden emphasized "his administration would strengthen bilateral cooperation with Israel in ways that would benefit both US citizens and Israeli citizens, including by working together towards Israel’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program."

Mayorkas also met with Israel's US ambassador in August and discussed the waiver issue.

In February, Mayorkas spoke with the European Commission’s Commissioner for Home Affairs and both "expressed their continued interest in maintaining the US-EU Passenger Name Record Agreement and working with Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania to meet the qualifications for the Visa Waiver Program."

To participate in the program, a country must meet requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security, and border management, Reuters reported.

There are currently 40 countries in the program.

"These requirements include having a rate of nonimmigrant visa refusals below 3%, issuing secure travel documents, and working closely with US law enforcement and counterterrorism authorities," DHS said last month.



Khamenei Says Israel Initiated a War as Iran Fires Missiles in Retaliation

 Smoke rises after a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
Smoke rises after a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
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Khamenei Says Israel Initiated a War as Iran Fires Missiles in Retaliation

 Smoke rises after a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
Smoke rises after a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said in a statement on Friday that Israel initiated a war and said it will not be allowed to do "hit and run" attacks without grave consequences.

"The Zionist regime (Israel) will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured," Khamenei said in a statement.

Israel launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran's nuclear and military structure Friday, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to attack key facilities and kill top generals and scientists -- a barrage it said was necessary before its adversary got any closer to building an atomic weapon.

Iran’s state news agency reported that Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles toward Israel as part of its retaliation for Israel's Friday attack.

IRNA said the Iranian military had dubbed its operation "Severe Punishment."

Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded across Israel following what the country's military spokesman said was the firing of missiles from Iran. 

The ongoing military and intelligence operation raised the potential for all-out war between Iran and Israel and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.