Romania reportedly signs lobbying agreement with US firm that helped Qatar enter Visa Waiver program

The Romanian state has reportedly concluded a lobbying agreement with Global Security and Innovative Strategies LLC, an American consultancy firm specializing in security and public safety, which provided assistance to Qatar before it joined the US Visa Waiver program, according to Profit.ro.

The goal of the agreement is to ready Romania’s case for joining the Visa Waiver program. For the services rendered, GSIS reportedly charges Romania a fee of USD 25,000 per month.

The agreement is valid until October 31, 2025, and bears the signatures of Romania’s ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, and GSIS's principal partner and one of the firm’s co-founders, Noah Kroloff, a former chief of staff at the US Department of Homeland Security, Profit.ro reported.

"GSIS will provide consultancy services to Romania regarding international cooperation and collaboration between Romania and the United States on matters of bilateral interest to the two countries. Special emphasis will be placed on mutual public safety, security requirements, and cooperation on matters related to trade and travel," reads the cited agreement.

The wording is identical to that in the similar contract signed a few years ago by GSIS with Qatar, which was admitted to the Visa Waiver program in September 2024, the Romanian publication noted.

On March 25, 2025, the United States suspended Romania’s membership in the Visa Waiver program to ensure “compliance with the program’s strict security requirements,” after the Biden administration approved it beforehand.

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