ESTA - Visa Waiver Program

NOTE: ESTA authorizations issued before 01 August 2023 remain valid for the approved period and also allow multiple entries within this period. The new regulations therefore do not have a retroactive effect on existing ESTA authorizations for Hungarian citizens, but apply exclusively to new applications as of the aforementioned date.

Wir empfehlen dringend allen ungarischen VWP-Reisenden, bestehende ESTA-Genehmigungen vor Reiseantritt (online) auf Gültigkeit zu prüfen, um Problemen vorzubeugen.

Between 2011 and 2020, the Hungarian government granted nearly one million citizenships through a simplified naturalization process. According to U.S. authorities, this was done without adequate identity verification safeguards. Despite security concerns on the part of the United States, the Hungarian government decided not to fully close the existing loopholes in the naturalization process. This resulted in a tightening of access requirements to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for Hungarian passport holders.

In early August, the Hungarian government was informed that the validity period of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for holders of Hungarian passports will be reduced from two to one year. In addition, the use of an ESTA will be limited to a single trip for Hungarian passport holders.

Despite continued efforts by the U.S. government to prevent these measures, Hungary has so far failed to address U.S. security concerns and meet the requirements for full participation in the VWP. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is based on a close security partnership between the United States and selected countries. The U.S. sets strict security criteria, and in return, nationals of these countries are granted visa-free entry. If the conditions are not met, countries can be excluded from the program or, as in the case of Hungary, face restrictions.

Incidentally, this is not the first time for Hungary: already last year, U.S. authorities reacted with sanctions for the VWP country due to security concerns. Since then, only Hungarian nationals who were also born in Hungary have been allowed to participate in the VWP.

Such restrictions are extremely rare and have so far only affected nationals from Brunei. Since July 2023, they too have only been granted a one-year ESTA travel permit, but unlike Hungary, they are allowed to make several trips during this period.

Travel State GOV | CBP | DHS GOV | 16.08.2023

The U.S. Department of State designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) on January 12, 2021.With limited exceptions, a traveler who is found to have visited Cuba on or after this date is not eligible for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) using an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States. Additionally, a traveler who at the time of application for an ESTA holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba is not eligible for travel under the VWP using an ESTA and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States.

If an ESTA has already been approved and it is later determined that the traveler has been present in Cuba or holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba, the ESTA will be revoked. Ineligibility for an ESTA is not a bar to travel to the United States. Individuals who are not eligible to travel under the VWP may apply for a visa at any U.S. embassy or consulate.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection | 10.07.2023