US to waive Israelis' need for entry visa

Coming soon – a visa-free US trip? The American administration has given its tenet consent to annul the US visa requirement for Israelis, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.

Israelis wishing to travel the US are required to have an entry visa. The process of obtaining one requires a fee, which currently stands on $131, a consulate interview and a lengthy wait. Despite the red tape, however, 98% of the applicants are granted a US visa.

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit, who is on an official visit to the US, met Thursday with US Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, and discussed Israel's desire for a visa-free status.

The three agreed to form respective teams which would begin formulating the necessary changes in policy, right after Yom Kippur. The US did, however stipulate the change in Israel's compliance to switch its passport system from paper to biometric documents.

"This is a significant accomplishment," said Minister Sheetrit. "There is no reason for Israelis to have to go through the hassle of getting a visa… Israel doesn’t require Americans visiting it to have a visa and there is no reason for the US to demand that of Israelis."

Israel has recently become eligible for the US visa mitigation, under the State Department's guidelines. The US has also lifted the visa requirement several European countries, the likes of Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary and Slovakia, although they fall short on some of the mitigation requirements.

Chertoff claimed that Israel has never before appealed for a visa-free status officially, to which Minister Sheetrit said that he would be happy to submit an official request to that effect, on behalf of Israel and the Israeli public, immediately.

Chertoff gave his consent to the move, ordering a State Department inspection aimed at ensuring Israel meets the criteria.

The year 2008 has seen 313,000 Israelis travel to the United States.