Israelis can travel to US for 90 days without getting a visa amid war
In a recent news release, the Department of Homeland Security said the visa waiver program was operational from Thursday (19 October)
Amid escalating tensions in the Israel-Hamas war, Israelis can now travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, as Biden administration fast-tracked this travel benefit that was previously scheduled to take effect on November 30.
Earlier on 27 September, the Homeland Security and State Departments declared the inclusion of Israel in its visa waiver program, an agreement between the United States and 40 other countries that allows citizens to travel without the hassle of getting a visa, reports AP.
At the time, the US said Israelis could start travelling to America without visas starting from November 30.
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In a recent news release, the Department of Homeland Security said the program was operational from Thursday (19 October).
Officials gave no reason for the changed timeline in a news release Thursday. But just days after Israel's admittance to the visa waiver program, Hamas launched attacks against numerous locations in southern Israel. Since then the Israeli military has relentlessly attacked locations in the Gaza Strip as it prepares for a ground invasion.
Under the waiver program, Israelis first register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. That's an automated system that helps determine whether the person is eligible to travel, Homeland Security said in the news release.
The process can take up to 72 hours. Then they can travel to the US
To be eligible, Israelis must have a biometrically enabled passport. Those who don't have such a passport still must apply for a US visa, the department said.
Countries that want to take part in the visa program have to meet three critical benchmarks. Israel met two of those benchmarks over the past two years: a low percentage of Israelis who applied for visas and were rejected and a low percentage of Israelis who have overstayed their visas.
Israel had struggled to meet the third, for reciprocity that essentially means all US citizens, including Palestinian Americans, must be treated equally when travelling to or through Israel.
Many critics said that despite American assertions, Palestinian Americans were still facing discrimination when travelling to Israel.
Israel's admission into the program has been a priority for successive Israeli leaders and will be a major accomplishment for Netanyahu, who has sparred frequently with the Biden administration over Iran, the Palestinian conflict and most recently a proposed remake of Israel's judicial system that critics say will make the country less democratic.
Netanyahu's far-right government has drawn repeated US criticism over its treatment of Palestinians, including its aggressive construction of West Bank settlements, its opposition to Palestinian statehood and incendiary anti-Palestinian comments by senior Cabinet ministers.
The US move will give a welcome boost at home to Netanyahu. He has faced months of mass protests against his judicial plan and is likely to come under criticism from the Palestinians, who say the US should not be rewarding the Israeli government at a time when peace efforts are at a standstill.
Israel met two of the three most critical criteria over the past two years - a low percentage of visa application rejections and a low visa overstay rate - to join the US program. It had struggled to meet the third, which is a requirement for reciprocity that means all US citizens, including Palestinian Americans, must be treated equally when travelling to or through Israel.
Claiming national security reasons, Israel has long had separate entry requirements and screening processes for Palestinian Americans. Many complained that the procedures were onerous and discriminatory. Americans with Palestinian residency documents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were largely barred from using Israel's international airport. Instead, like other Palestinians, they were forced to travel through either Jordan or Egypt to reach their destinations.
In recent months, Israel has moved to adjust its entry requirements for Palestinian Americans, including allowing them to fly in and out of Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and going directly to the West Bank and Israel proper, according to the officials. Israel also has pledged to ease movement for Palestinian Americans travelling in and out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
