The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday announced it will remove Biden-era travel restrictions for Hungarian citizens and restore its access to the United States’ Visa Waiver Program.
Former President Joe Biden imposed restrictions on Hungarian passport holders in 2021 in opposition to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his simplified naturalization process that extended citizenship to people born overseas who claimed Hungarian ancestry, CBS News reported.
The department said the restoration comes after Hungary completed the necessary steps that the U.S. government requested to address national security vulnerabilities.
âThe United States and Hungary have a strong security partnership, and that commitment is reflected in the actions that Hungary has taken to meet the security standards of the Visa Waiver Program,â Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. âLike President Trump, Prime Minister OrbĂĄn is dedicated to keeping his borders secure and vetting who comes into his country.Â
“When nations secure their borders, theyâre making the entire world a safer place â and they should be rewarded for doing so,” she continued. “Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noemâs efforts, DHS is reinstituting integrity into our immigration system.â
The restoration means that Hungarian travelers can apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) with a two-year validity period that can be used for multiple entries starting September 30, 2025.Â
The Biden administration lowered the ESTA validity period from two years to one year in 2023, and limited the ESTA use to a single entry.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.Â
