Israel is added to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for travel to the U.S. Individuals from countries in the VWP program have the option to apply for travel to the United States for business or tourism purposes, for up to 90 days, without requiring a visa first. A reciprocal agreement is in place for individuals from the U.S. who wish to travel to Israel for business or tourism, for up to 90 days. The agreement goes into effect on November 30, 2023. Required updates to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be implemented by that date. Israeli citizens who have a valid B1/B2 visa can continue to use these visas for business or tourist travel to the U.S.
The VWP is meant to partner with qualifying countries to build global business and tourism. To qualify for inclusion in the program, countries must meet strict requirements in law enforcement, immigration administration, border management, and more. Further, countries must issue secure travel documents, offer visa-free benefits to all U.S. citizens, and meet certain nonimmigrant visitor visa refusal thresholds. In this case, Israel created a system to share information, implement new entry processes for U.S. citizens, and pass new laws.
The U.S. government continues to work with Israel to monitor the implementation and requirements.
If you have questions about the VWP program or any immigration-related issue, contact us at ILBSG. We actively monitor ongoing updates to U.S. immigration policy to ensure our clients get the right advice.
