US limits ESTA visa waiver for Hungarians
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Starting Tuesday, the validity of an ESTA for Hungarian passport holders will be cut from two years to one, and an ESTA will only be valid for one usage.
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An immigration office in Miami, Florida, in 2001. (AFP)
The United States severely restricted Hungary's participation in its visa waiver program on Tuesday due to security concerns over new passports produced between 2011 and 2020.
The American Visa Waiver Program allows citizens in participating countries to travel to the United States for vacation or work for up to 90 days, and all they need is an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
However, beginning Tuesday, the validity of an ESTA for Hungarian passport holders will be cut from two years to one, and an ESTA will only be valid for one use.
Hungary is one of 40 nations that participate in the program with the US.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government launched a major policy change after taking office in 2010, granting citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living abroad, particularly in Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Domestic critics claim that Orbán's contentious decision was intended to bolster his election chances.
Read more: Ukraine sold its sovereignty for Western money, weapons, Orban says
US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman told Politico that “There are hundreds of thousands of passports that have been issued by the government of Hungary as part of the simplified naturalization program without stringent identity verification mechanisms in place.”
Pressman explained that the US government has been working with the Hungarian government on this "security vulnerability" for many years and through numerous administrations. However, "the government of Hungary opted not to close" it.
Hungary's Interior Ministry rebuffed the US decision and stated that Hungary "will not disclose the data of Hungarians beyond the border with dual citizenship because that would risk their security,” citing that the decision of the US is based on "Revenge on Hungarians."
Pressman called it "unfortunate," detailing this was "not the outcome the US sought or is seeking.”
The West has become increasingly frustrated with many of Hungary's stances, as they were previously unwilling to approve Sweden's NATO bid, not to mention their criticism of the West's involvement in Ukraine.
In February, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto slammed the US Ambassador in Budapest, Pressman, saying he had no business meddling in the country's domestic affairs.
Pressman said, as quoted by Politico, that Hungarian policymakers “continue to push policies endorsed by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” in reference to Budapest's opposition to anti-Russia sanctions and support of Moscow’s proposals for a ceasefire.
In response, Szijjarto said, as quoted by RT, that “nobody can tell us from the outside how to live, so it is of no interest what a citizen of another country – be it an ambassador – thinks about the domestic political processes in Hungary."
