Many Eastern European countries are expected to be disappointed when the list of new participating countries in the US visa waiver program is announced.

Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia are on the list of countries likely to be excluded. Why?

The US visa waiver program allows citizens of other countries to enter the US without first applying for a visa at an American consular post. To qualify, one requirement is that there must be an average rate of rejected visa applications for citizens of that country under 10%.

In contrast, New Zealand qualified Romanian citizens for that country's visa waiver program, effective July 30, 2007.

See New Zealand lifts visas for Romania citizens and Visa waiver Program may exclude Romania and Poland for more information.