Visa Waiver Program

If you are citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner, but have received a notice that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program and you are also a citizen of, or had recent travel to, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Syria, you may request an expedited appointment if your travel is imminent.

You may request an expedited visa appointment if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but have received notice that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program. Your travel must be imminent and you must be a citizen of, or recently traveled to, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. Please include in your request the date and purpose of your travel.

Essential documentation:

  • A copy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection message you received regarding your ESTA status.

Although Romanian nationals do not currently qualify to travel under the Visa Waiver Program, travelers who qualify for the Visa Waiver Program are advised that effective January 20,2010 registration through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is mandatory prior to travel to the United States. Travelers who have not obtained approval through ESTA should expect to be denied boarding on any air carrier bound for the United States. Travelers wishing to register for ESTA directly should visit the ESTA website to apply.

Effective September 8, 2010, travelers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries are required to pay a fee of $14.00 when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). For the latest news about ESTA please click here.

In most cases, ESTA will provide an almost immediate determination of eligibility for travel under the VWP:

  1. Authorization Approved: travel authorized
  2. Travel Not Authorized: Traveler must obtain a nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate before traveling to the U.S.
  3. Authorization Pending: Traveler will need to check the ESTA website for updates within 72 hours to receive a final response.

An approved ESTA travel authorization is:

  • Valid, unless revoked, for up to two years or until the traveler’s passport expires
  • Valid for multiple entries into the U.S.
  • Not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry. ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the United States under the VWP. In all cases, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers make admissibility determinations at our ports of entry.