Updated November 11, 2026

US Visa Waiver Program for Romania: why DHS rescinded it in May 2025 and how to travel now

Romania is not part of the US Visa Waiver Program, and Romanian citizens cannot apply for ESTA on a Romanian passport. The Department of Homeland Security designated Romania on January 9, 2025, paused implementation on March 25, 2025, and rescinded the designation on May 2, 2025 before it ever took effect. Unless you hold a second passport from one of the 42 active Visa Waiver Program countries, you need a valid US visa from a US embassy or consulate to travel to the United States.

Is Romania in the US Visa Waiver Program right now?

No. The Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, rescinded Romania's Visa Waiver Program designation on May 2, 2025, effective immediately.

Because the designation was paused on March 25, 2025 and rescinded on May 2, 2025 before implementation, ESTA never opened to travelers using only a Romanian passport. If an older article or forum post says Romanian citizens have ESTA access or that existing Romanian ESTAs were canceled after rollout, that information is wrong. DHS notes on its program page that Romania's January 9, 2025 designation was not implemented before rescission on May 2, 2025.

Here is the exact timeline from DHS records.

Timeline of Romania's US Visa Waiver Program designation and rescission from dhs.gov

Why did DHS rescind Romania's Visa Waiver Program status?

In its May 2, 2025 press release, the Department of Homeland Security stated that the Biden Administration had designated Romania on January 9, 2025 despite security concerns. On March 25, 2025, DHS paused implementation to conduct a review of Romania's designation.

When that review concluded on May 2, 2025, DHS decided to rescind the designation to protect the integrity of the Visa Waiver Program and to ensure border and immigration security. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that maintaining the program's high standards is necessary for national security, and that the Secretary of Homeland Security decided in consultation with the Secretary of State to rescind Romania's designation effective immediately.

The rescission is not a permanent ban on Romania joining later. DHS stated in the same May 2, 2025 announcement that the United States is grateful for Romania's close partnership over the years to enhance security cooperation, and that Romania may be reconsidered for Visa Waiver Program designation in the future should it meet the statutory eligibility criteria.

How can Romanian citizens travel to the US now?

Because Romania is not a Visa Waiver Program country, you cannot board a US-bound plane or ship or enter at a US land border using ESTA on a Romanian passport. Your path depends on the visas and passports you currently hold.

Use this checklist written by our team, based on CBP, DHS, and State Department rules, to see which path fits your trip:

• You already have a valid US visitor visa in your Romanian passport: CBP states that travelers who possess a valid US visa may travel to the United States on that visa for the purpose it was issued, and do not need to apply for an ESTA.
• You hold only a Romanian passport and do not have a valid US visa: You must apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a US embassy or consulate before you travel.
• You are a dual citizen with a valid e-passport from one of the 42 active VWP countries: You can apply for ESTA using your VWP country passport. CBP rules require that you travel to the United States on the exact passport you used for your approved ESTA.
• You applied for ESTA on a second passport and were denied: CBP states that applicants denied an ESTA must apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a US embassy or consulate if they wish to continue with their trip. US embassies and consulates cannot provide details about ESTA denials or resolve the issue that caused the denial.

What are the statutory requirements for a country to join the Visa Waiver Program?

When DHS says Romania may be reconsidered if it meets the statutory eligibility criteria, it is referring to Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187), as amended by the Secure Travel and Counterterrorism Partnership Act of 2007 and the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015.

Under the statute summarized by DHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may designate a country into the Visa Waiver Program if it meets these requirements:

• Temporary visitor visa refusal rate: The country must have an annual temporary visitor visa (B visa) refusal rate of less than 3 percent.
• Timely repatriation of removed citizens: The country must accept the repatriation of its citizens, former citizens, and nationals ordered removed from the United States within three weeks of the final order of removal.
• Lost and stolen passport reporting: The country must enter into an agreement to report lost and stolen passport information to the United States via INTERPOL or other means designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
• Terrorism and criminal information sharing: The country must enter into an agreement with the United States to share terrorism and serious criminal information.
• Biometric e-passports: The country must issue electronic, machine-readable passports with biometric identifiers.
• DHS security and immigration evaluation: The country must undergo a DHS-led evaluation of the effects of its VWP designation on the security, law enforcement, and immigration enforcement interests of the United States.
• Independent intelligence assessment: For initial designation, the country must undergo an independent intelligence assessment produced by the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis on behalf of the Director of National Intelligence.
• Reciprocal visa-free travel for Americans: In return for VWP status, participating countries must permit US citizens and nationals to travel to their countries for a similar length of time without a visa for business or tourism purposes.

How DHS monitors VWP countries after designation

Joining the Visa Waiver Program is not a one-time check. DHS conducts reviews of each participating country at least once every two years in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary of Homeland Security also has statutory authority to immediately suspend or terminate a country's designation if a credible threat arises.

Continuous monitoring focuses on four main operational areas:

• Information sharing: Participating countries must share criminal and counterterrorism records with US security agencies.
• Passport standards: Partner nations must issue secure e-passports and report lost or stolen travel documents to INTERPOL.
• Border screening: Countries must screen travelers against counterterrorism data and maintain strict airport safeguards.
• Overstay rates: Countries must maintain low rates of visitor overstays, and DHS requires public education campaigns if business or tourist overstay rates reach 2 percent or higher.

Which 42 countries are currently in the US Visa Waiver Program?

If you hold dual citizenship with Romania and one of the 42 designated countries, you can apply for an ESTA using that country's e-passport. The Visa Waiver Program began in 1986 and allows eligible citizens of participating countries to visit the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.

Many Romanian dual citizens hold a passport from another European Union member state. Below are key participating countries frequently held by Romanian dual nationals, along with DHS notes from the program list.

Key Visa Waiver Program countries for Romanian dual citizens from dhs.gov, as of November 2026

How ESTA works for dual citizens of Romania and a VWP country

If you hold citizenship in one of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries in addition to Romania, you can apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) on that country's passport. ESTA is an automated system operated by US Customs and Border Protection that screens passengers before they travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA is not a visa and does not replace a U.S. visa when one is legally required.

Since October 2022, VWP travelers entering the United States by land must also obtain an approved ESTA before arriving at the land border crossing, just like travelers arriving by air or sea. Here are the core rules from CBP and the ESTA application portal:

• Passport requirements: Since April 1, 2016, every VWP traveler must use an e-passport, which has a machine-readable zone on the biographic page, a digital photograph printed on the page (not glued or laminated), and an embedded electronic chip holding biometric information.
• What you need to apply: The ESTA portal requires a valid passport from a VWP country, a selfie photo of the traveler, a valid email address, your home address and phone number, an emergency point of contact phone and email, and a payment method (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover for JCB or Diners Club only, or PayPal). Depending on your case, it may also ask for aliases, a National ID or Personal ID number, a Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI ID number, your employer's address and phone number, and your US point of contact's name, address, and phone. CBP estimates the application takes an average of 23 minutes.
• Validity and stay limits: An approved ESTA is generally valid for two years (one year for Brunei) or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It allows multiple trips of up to 90 days at a time for business or tourism. CBP advises leaving a reasonable amount of time between visits so the officer does not think you are trying to live in the United States.
• When you must get a new ESTA: You must submit a new ESTA application and pay the fee again if you get a new passport, change your first or last name, change your country of citizenship, or have a change in the circumstances behind any yes-or-no eligibility question on the form (such as a conviction for a crime of moral turpitude or developing a contagious disease).
• Children and transit: Accompanied and unaccompanied children of any age need their own independent ESTA approval. You also need an ESTA (or a visa) even if you are only transiting the United States on the way to another country. On the form, enter "In Transit" and your final destination under the US address section.
• Arrival and Mobile Passport Control: An approved ESTA authorizes you to board a carrier, but CBP officers decide whether you are admissible when you arrive at the port of entry. VWP travelers no longer complete the green I-94W card. Returning VWP travelers with an approved ESTA can also use the free CBP Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app at 51 sites (33 US international airports, 14 preclearance locations, and 4 seaports of entry).

ESTA government fees from help.cbp.gov, as of November 2026

What the officer may ask Romanian travelers at the interview or port of entry

Whether you apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a US embassy or arrive at a US port of entry on an existing visa or a dual-national ESTA, US officers verify that your trip fits visitor rules. DHS notes that upon arrival at a US port of entry, CBP officers validate travel and identity documents, collect biometric data, perform biographic and biometric checks, and may interview travelers before making an admissibility determination.

Prepare for these three questions by having your exact dates, your US contact details, and your return plans ready:

• "What is the purpose of your trip, and how long will you stay?", What it checks: That your activities fit business or tourism and that your stay is temporary (up to 90 days on VWP, or within the period granted on a visitor visa). How to prepare: Know your arrival and departure dates, the city where you are staying, and the specific business meetings, event, or sightseeing plan.
• "Why are you traveling on this passport, or have you ever been denied an ESTA or US visa?", What it checks: Consistency across your travel history and passport records, since DHS screens biographic and biometric data across databases. How to prepare: Always travel on the exact passport tied to your visa or approved ESTA, and answer truthfully about any past visa or ESTA refusal.
• "How often have you visited the United States recently, and what do you do at home in Romania?", What it checks: CBP states there should be a reasonable amount of time between visits so the officer does not think you are trying to live in the United States. How to prepare: Be ready to state your job, employer, or family commitments in Romania and show your return ticket.

Practice example

What is the purpose of your visit to the United States, and what ties bring you back to Romania after your trip?

A strong, honest answer states the specific reason for your visit, the city you are visiting, and your exact arrival and departure dates in your first sentence. Because Romania is not in the Visa Waiver Program, you will answer this question either at your US embassy visa interview or when speaking with a CBP officer at the US port of entry. Next, clearly explain how you are paying for the trip and name the commitments that require you to return to Romania on schedule, such as your current job, your employer, your business, or family members staying behind. Have your passport, your valid US visa (or your VWP country e-passport if you are a dual citizen traveling on an approved ESTA), your return flight confirmation, and your US accommodation or point-of-contact address ready to show if the officer asks.

Consular and CBP officers check that your planned activities match visitor rules for business or tourism, that your stay is temporary, and that you have clear reasons to depart the United States on time.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.