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Feb 6, 2023 | 9:40 am

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Israel clears major hurdle in bid to qualify for US Visa Waiver Program

Quote:

A statement from the US Embassy in Israel said that the annual rejection rate of Israeli visa applications during the 2022 fiscal year (October 1, 2021-September 30, 2022) dropped below the three percent benchmark for the first time — a key requirement for any country seeking to enter the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Israel still has to pass three pieces of legislation and make a “public, legislative and legal” commitment to ensuring entry rights for all American citizens by September 30, senior officials at the US Embassy in Israel said in a briefing with reporters earlier this month.

The latter obligation has been a sticking point for the US, which has long objected to the treatment of Arab and Palestinian Americans at Ben Gurion Airport, where they often suffer extended wait times and occasional deportations, particularly when declaring their intention to travel to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

Global Entry is a separate issue from VWP. Visa waiver eligibility is not a requirement for a country to be added to the GE program. Case in point are Argentina, Brazil and India whose passport holders are eligible to participate in the Global Entry program, however, they still need to obtain and maintain visas in order to enter the US. On the other hand, there are many countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program but do not have international Global Entry agreements with the US.

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