A new era: The United States officially announced today (Wednesday) that Israel has been accepted into the Visa Waiver Program and its citizens will be able to enjoy its benefits from now on.
The approval was presented by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
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. Under the plan, Israeli citizens will be able to enter the United States for tourism or business purposes without the need for a visa. Visa-free Israelis will need to register with the ESTA system up to 72 hours before departing for the United States.
US government officials said that the plan will take effect before November 30, 2023 - and until then, Israelis will be forced to use a regular visa, as has been the case until now.
Registration for the US Border Patrol's ESTA system, which grants visa exemption, includes a questionnaire in English in which the traveler is asked about his details - and once approval is received, it is valid for two years.
The system is intended primarily for tourists and short-term business trips and allows stays of up to 90 consecutive days in the US.
Those who need to apply for a long stay for study, work or immigration purposes will continue to contact the embassy using the procedure that has been used to date to obtain a visa.
Former Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said: "This is it, we finally did it. Israeli citizens received visa exemption for the US. Many people worked to make this happen, but I want to say thank you to two in particular. To Homeland Defense Minister Alejandro Mayorkas, who was optimistic from day one. And to Ambassador Tom Neides, who was very determined from day one.".
Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the UN who was ambassador to Washington, also responded: "I am happy and proud that the initiative I led as Israel's ambassador to the US is ending today with a historic success that many share in and helped to achieve.
""In good times, Israel joins the club of countries whose citizens enjoy visa exemptions when entering the United States. Granting the exemption represents the special relationship and strong alliance between us and the United States and puts an end to the humiliating and lengthy process that Israeli citizens had to go through when they wanted to visit the United States. In early 2021, I established a joint team with Homeland Defense Secretary Mourkes. We identified and mapped the obstacles and pushed for the necessary changes. Today, in good times, the historic change is happening. I thank everyone who was a partner in this process and of course, President Joe Biden of the United States for his commitment to expressing the special relationship between our countries.".
What is the difference between a visa and an ESTA approval?
A visa is issued for ten years, and allows a stay in the US of up to six months. An ESTA is issued for a period of two years (and can be used again during those two years). In addition, it only allows a stay of 90 days.
The embassy emphasized that the use of the ESTA system is only possible for adults who hold a biometric passport that is valid for ten years. As we announced yesterday, Israel is anticipating increasing demand for this type of passport, and therefore the Ministry of the Interior is preparing for this.
Is it complicated to get an ESTA? Do I have to pay someone to do it?
No. The embassy even emphasized: There is no need to pay any third party. It involves a few simple pages to fill out with personal information, and a response is received within 72 hours. Embassy Commissioner Septani Halt added that only the Department of Homeland Security website should be used to fill out the forms. There is no need to pay a third party, and it is very easy to use. In addition, the embassy will also launch an explanatory campaign so that if there are any questions, the embassy website is the address.
If I have a visa appointment in the near future, should I cancel it?
The American embassy strongly recommends against it. First, the money paid for the visa is not refundable. Second, it is still not possible to enter the US without a visa - the official date for the process to begin will be in about a month and a half - until November 30. In addition, there are also technical differences, as mentioned earlier.
If I am a US citizen, can I come to the US using the ESTA system?
No. U.S. law requires citizens to enter and exit the United States using their passport. But here's a positive: Given the expected decline in visa applications, the consular department will have more lines and resources to renew passports for American citizens.
