The United States raises travel restrictions on Hungarian citizens

Washington – The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it will raise travel restrictions on Hungarian citizens after the country has taken steps to address security weaknesses, in the last sign of the presence of warming relations between Washington and Budapest.

In 2021, the Biden Administration imposed restrictions on the Hungarian passports holders born outside Hungary and reduced the approved timeline of the approved travel according to the visa waiver program, citing a simplified naturalization policy supported by Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Urban, which has been citizen with the people born abroad who demand the association’s organs.

The officials said at the time that nearly a million people were granted citizenship between 2011 and 2020 without sufficient examination.

Under the visa waiver program, most citizens of the participating countries are allowed to visit the United States for a period of 90 days or less, if they obtain approval within the electronic licensing system (ESTA). Citizens are from more than 40 countries that are qualified to travel to the United States under the visa waiver program, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website.

While ESTA approvals usually allow travel for two years, the restrictions added by the United States in 2023 have reduced this validity period for Hungarian travelers born outside the country from two years to one, and the mandate limited to only one to the United States

Starting on September 30, the Trump administration restores the validity period to two years and allows Hijri to prepare multiple entries in the United States during that time.

“The United States and Hungary have a strong security partnership, and this commitment is reflected in the measures taken by Hungary to meet the security standards of the visa waiver program,” said Assistant Minister Tricia McLeulin in a statement.

“We believe in friendship between our countries, which is based on sovereignty, freedom and mutual respect,” said Robert Palladino. Video statement.

The Hungarian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Trump praised Prime Minister Victor Urban that he was a “wonderful leader” and hosted him in the property of Mar Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2024.

Mr. Trump said in May 2019.

While Mr. Trump Urban embraced, Biden’s administration had a cooler relationship with NATO ally. At the time, the President Biden criticized the Hungarian leader in 2024 as “looking for a dictatorship.” The Hungary delayed for several months the expansion of NATO to include Sweden and Finland, on the pretext that their additions will return Russia.

The European Union also accused Hungary of democratic decline, and earlier this year, it has cut access to more than a billion euros in financing for what the bloc said were violations of the rule of law and not to address corruption.

Camilla Chic

He contributed to this report.