U.S. Activates Visa Waiver Program for Israel 6 Weeks Early

By Matis Glenn

Israelis can avail themselves of the U.S. visa waiver program starting Thursday night, 6 weeks ahead of the planned starting date, as Israel enters the next phase in its war against Hamas, according to Israel Hayom.

The U.S. granted Israel’s request to be admitted into the program in late September, and its availability for Israelis was slated to begin November 30.

The program, which currently includes 41 countries, allows residents to enter the United States without obtaining a visa, provided that they fill out a form, which costs $22 to submit, and meet certain criteria, such as not having a criminal record. Under the program, visitors can remain in the country for up to two periods of 90 days over the course of two years.

Israeli citizens with valid B-1/B-2 visas may continue to use them for travel to the United States.

The U.S. government says that the form takes about 72 hours to be processed, but foreign travelers have reported that in practice, it typically takes far less time than that to be approved.