The US administration removes Romania from the visa waiver list

US authorities have decided to remove Romania from the Visa Waiver Program. This measure reverses a decision made by the previous administration, under which Romania had, only a few months earlier, been added to the list of countries whose citizens could visit the US without a visa.

Romania became the 43rd country added to the Visa Waiver Program in January 2025. It was the fourth such decision by the Biden administration, following similar moves for Croatia, Israel, and Qatar. At the time, US authorities stressed that Bucharest had met all the strict requirements, including cooperation with US law enforcement on combating terrorism and transnational crime. Romanian citizens were expected to be able to take advantage of the programme from 31 March 2025.

The US allows short-term visits by citizens of certain countries without a visa — under the Visa Waiver Program, stays of up to 90 days are permitted for business or tourism purposes. For all other foreign nationals, travel requires obtaining a US visa in advance, through consular offices.

However, in late March, the Department of Homeland Security suspended implementation of this measure. After conducting a review, a final decision was made to remove Romania from the programme. A department statement said the move is aimed at maintaining a high level of border security and immigration control.

"Maintaining strict standards for the Visa Waiver Program is critical to US national security. Given the administration's priorities on border security and immigration, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the State Department, has decided to immediately withdraw Romania's participation in the programme. We greatly value our long-standing security cooperation with Romania. The possibility of revisiting this decision remains open," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

Political instability in Romania

The reasons for the removal have not been officially disclosed, but experts are discussing a possible link to domestic political events in Romania. In February 2025, US Vice President J.D. Vance criticised the actions of Romanian authorities in annulling the second round of last year's presidential election. The grounds cited were allegations of illegal campaigning and Russian interference, following the first-round victory of far-right candidate Călin Georgescu.

In the rerun vote held on 4 May, radical-conservative candidate George Simion took the lead and is considered the favourite for the second round, scheduled for 18 May. Simion is known for his sympathy toward Donald Trump and his support for a strong NATO, though he has expressed doubts about the alliance's policy on Ukraine. He is especially popular among the Romanian diaspora: he won 70% of the vote among Romanians in Italy, Spain, and Germany.

"The Romanian government is ready for close cooperation with the US on strengthening border security. At the same time, we believe the upcoming presidential election on 18 May creates favourable conditions for asking our American partners to resume the process of reinstating Romania in the Visa Waiver Program," Bucharest said in an official statement.

Romania's removal from the Visa Waiver Program marks a notable shift in relations between the two countries. The decision underscores the difficulty of maintaining international cooperation amid political instability, doubts over electoral transparency, and a tense regional environment.