US visa-free program - decision after October 1

The US decision whether Hungary is included in the visa-free program is expected after October 1, when it is verified if the ratio of rejected Hungarian visa applications is below 10 percent, the US Consul General to Hungary told reporters on Thursday.

The consul said that this ratio had been 10.3 percent in 2007 and added that he hoped that this year it would drop below 10 percent, which was a prerequisite for inclusion in the no-visa program.

The United States’ goal is to ensure that citizens of Hungary and other applicants for the program could visit the US without mandatory entry-visas soon, as early as January next year.

On May 20, representatives of Hungary and the United States signed an agreement on bilateral data exchange seeking to help identify terrorists. The agreement is a prerequisite for Hungary’s exemption from US visa requirements.

Source: MTI News

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