U.S./Hungary: Changes to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program

Key Points  

• The U.S. introduced stricter measures for Hungarian nationals applying and traveling under the U.S. Visa Waiver program  

Overview  

The U.S. Embassy of Hungary issued a statement concerning the U.S. Visa Waiver Program with Hungary. As of August 1, 2023, the U.S. government will reduce the validity period of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for Hungarian passport holders from two years to one year. In addition, the validity of an ESTA for Hungarian passport holders will be limited to a single use.  

This change will go into effect immediately and remain until the security concerns underlying it are addressed. This reduction in ESTA validity will only affect new ESTA applications received after the effective date of this notice and is not retroactive. All ESTA approvals granted prior to August 1, 2023, remain valid for two years and for multiple entries. 

What are the Changes?  

This decision was made as a result of security issues arising from Hungary’s simplified naturalization process, which has led the country to not fully meet the requirements of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.  

Looking Ahead  

Continue to check the government of Hungary’s website and Envoy’s website for the latest updates and information.