Washington – For the time being, the US government has no intention of exempting Israelis from entry visas, despite previous pledges and discussions that have been going on for many years.
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Government representatives who met with journalists this week in during a tourism fair in Miami Beach, Florida said that Israel does not meet the administration’s exemption criteria, and that it appears that a long time will pass before Israelis are able to enter the US without a visa.
The visa exemption program was launched in 1986 and exempted the citizens of 27 states worldwide, most of them in Western Europe. Several months ago the US government added more countries to the list, including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, South Korea, and Slovakia.
Despite expectations that Israel will also enjoy the exemption this time around, officials were disappointed to discover that the Jewish State is not on the list. At this time, discussions are being held on exempting more states from a US visa, including Greece, Brazil, Argentina and Poland, yet according to US government officials Israel is not on the list again.
American officials said current Israeli passports will have to be replaced by biometric passports in order for the exemption to be granted. Moreover, the Americans demand that the rate of Israelis who remain in the US after their visas expire be brought down from the current 4% to below 2%.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai’s office said that the issue of visa exemptions is being discussed by the US and Israeli governments, and that the introduction of biometric passports in Israel is in process at the Ministry at this time.
Good, let the israelis stay in Israel, no freeloading here!
What freeloading? Why is it that a Pole or an Estonian can come visit the USA without having to apply for a visa, and an Israeli can not? Do you realise what Israelis have to go through, just to come for a chasunah or to visit a rebbe or kivrei tzadikim? Americans can show up at Natbag and get an automatic entry permit, but Israelis have to make an appointment at the consulate, which can only be done online and must be done months in advance, and then go and be interviewed and pay a nonrefundable fee, and be treated like dirt, and then MAYBE they get the visa, or maybe they get rejected with no explanation. Even Saudis have an easier time of it than Israelis!
At least the israeli’s work hard and don’t look to leech off the government.