US makes visa program available for faculty members in Romanian higher education

A new visa program, the "USA Visa Facilitation," is available for one year for faculty members in higher education in Romania seeking B1/B2 visas for business or tourist purposes.

The initiative belongs to the Embassy of the United States of America in Bucharest, in partnership with the Government of Romania, with the support of the National Council of Rectors, according to a press release sent to Agerpres.

"The 'USA Visa Facilitation' program is a service that prioritizes scheduling appointments for visa interviews and is available for both faculty members in higher education and their family members, including spouses and children. This significant benefit can be accessed by individuals who already have travel plans to the United States, as well as those who do not yet have concrete travel plans to the USA but may need a visa in the future. Additionally, the program can be accessed for the renewal of an existing visa," according to the press release.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a Romanian citizen and a faculty member at a higher education institution in Romania, must not have been previously denied access to the United State, and their spouse must not have a criminal or tax record.

The visa program dedicated to faculty members runs until October 1, 2024, and is part of a national project aimed at Romania's accession to the United States Visa Waiver Program. The program is administered through the Romanian-American University.

Earlier this year, Romania's ambassador to the United States, Dan-Andrei Muraru, announced that there are only two years left until Romanian citizens will be able to enter the American territory without visas. The official announcement of Romania's admission to the Visa Waiver program is expected in January 2024, and from December 2025, Romanians will be able to travel to the US without a visa, he said.

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