US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the certificate of approval.
On Tuesday,Axios reported that Blinken signed a letter recommending that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas allow Israel to join the US Visa Waiver Program.
It is estimated that implementation of the process will take a few weeks, and that during November, Israelis will already be able to enter the US without needing to present a visa, as they have been required to do until now.
Registration for the US Border Control's ESTA system, which provides the visa exemption, includes a questionnaire (in English) in which the traveler is asked various questions. The exemption received is then valid for a period of two years.
The system is mainly intended for tourists and short-term business trips, and allows the traveler to remain in the US for up to 90 consecutive days.
Those who require a longer permit for purposes of study, work, or immigration will still be required to turn to the Embassy in order to receive a visa.
Recently, Israel's Foreign Ministry published an announcement praising the exemption, sparking anger in the US State Department over the premature announcement.
