Croatia could join the US Visa Waiver (VWP) program until the end of the US fiscal year, and Croats could travel to the US without a visa. In this regard, Serena Hoy, Deputy Secretary for International Affairs at the US Department of Homeland Security, said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will make a decision by the end of this month.
On September 16, Secretary of State for Political Affairs Frano Matušić met with a delegation from the United States Department of Homeland Security, chaired by Serena Hoy. The meeting also discussed Croatia's integration into the Visa Waiver Program. During the meeting, it was agreed that Croatia's accession to the VWP would help to improve mutual relations, especially in terms of economic relations.
As far as the Member States of the European Union are concerned, only Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Romania are not part of such a system.
The Visa Waiver Program is a system administered by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in cooperation with the State Department. It allows travelers from 39 countries to enter the US for tourism or business purposes, for stays of up to 90 days, without being required to obtain a visa on arrival. However, travelers are required to apply for access through an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) so that they can enter the US without a visa.
Currently, all countries that are part of the borderless area of the Schengen area are also part of the US VWP system. To become part of the US VWP system, countries are required to meet a number of specific requirements. Among them, Croatia should have a visa refusal rate below 3%.