The topic of Romania 's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program was formally raised by President of Romania Traian Basescu on the occasion of his official meeting with President George W. Bush at the White House, in March 2005. Ever since, it has been included on the agenda of all Romanian-American high level political meetings. Romania 's inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program would allow Romanian citizens to travel to the United States and stay temporarily without the need of a visa, the same way Romanians can travel without visa within the European Union countries. This goal represents both a very important issue on the official agenda of the Romanian-American political dialogue and a key subject of interest for the Romanian people and Romanian American community.
Since Romania signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Union in April 2005, Romanian officials have been part of the European Union political consultation process at every level, including the one of the EU countries' Ambassadors in the United States . In this context, the subject pertaining to the inclusion of the new EU members (as well as Romania and Bulgaria ) in the Visa Waiver Program is currently a matter of active consultation between embassies of EU countries in Washington and of common action in the relationship with the US Administration and Congress.
During the present federal legislative process on immigration, Senators Mikulski, Frist and Santorum have included an amendment providing for extending Visa Waiver Program to new NATO and EU members who have had important contributions to the war on terror. According to this amendment, Romania would qualify for Visa Waiver Program after becoming an EU member and following a preparation process set through a Road Map to be provided by the US State Department.
The Embassy of Romania in Washington established a coordination unit on the Visa Waiver Program, headed by Ambassador Sorin Ducaru and comprised of Daniela Gitman , Deputy Chief of Mission, Mihaela Deaconu, consul, Ovidiu Ierulescu and Bogdan Neagu , diplomats with the Political Section (their coordinates can be found in the Embassy Staff section of this webpage). The team will be strengthened shortly by Cristian Gaginsky , who will have a new appointment with the Embassy as Minister Counselor for Political and Legislative Affairs.
The Ambassador of Romania has reached out to leaders of the Romanian American community, to the Romanian clergy in the United States with letters expressing the Embassy's openness and interest to cooperate with them on this very important topic.