Title: United States Imposes Travel Restrictions on Hungarian Citizens Over Passport Identity Verification Concerns
Date: [Insert Date]
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The United States has implemented new travel restrictions on citizens of Hungary amid concerns over the verification of nearly 1 million foreigners who were granted Hungarian passports over a nine-year period. The U.S. Embassy and a government official confirmed that the lack of sufficient identity verification prompted the restrictions.
The recently imposed limitations affect Hungarian passport holders participating in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows entry into the United States for business or tourism without a visa for up to 90 days. As a result of the concerns, the validity period of travel for Hungarian passport holders under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization has been reduced from two years to one year. Additionally, individuals will now be limited to a single entry into the United States. It is worth noting that Hungary is the only participating state facing such restrictions among the 40 countries in the Visa Waiver Program.
An anonymous senior U.S. government official explained that the decision to implement these changes followed years of unsuccessful attempts to collaborate with the Hungarian government in resolving the security concerns. According to the official, hundreds of thousands of Hungarian passports were issued without stringent identity verification, potentially granting criminals uncompromised access to the United States. This alarming reality poses a significant safety threat and led to the decision to impose restrictions.
Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s leadership, the Hungarian government introduced a simplified naturalization procedure in 2011. This initiative, which allowed those claiming Hungarian ancestry to obtain citizenship even without residency or intentions to live in Hungary, resulted in hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians from neighboring countries (primarily Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine) acquiring Hungarian citizenship.
Critics argue that this citizenship program enabled non-taxpaying ethnic Hungarians residing in other countries to participate in Hungarian elections, thereby giving Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party an electoral advantage. Consequently, Hungary was previously categorized as a provisional member of the Visa Waiver Program in light of these concerns.
The Hungarian government, via a statement from the Interior Ministry, responded to the imposed restrictions on Tuesday. The statement clarified that the United States had demanded personal data regarding ethnic Hungarians abroad who possess dual citizenship, a request that Hungary’s government deemed invalid due to concerns regarding the security of its citizens. The statement also expressed the belief that the Biden administration’s action was driven by a sense of vengeance against the Hungarian people.
As the travel restrictions are enforced, the Hungarian government and the United States will continue to navigate this diplomatic impasse, seeking a resolution that balances both nations’ security concerns.