In Response to Sherman Led Effort Biden Makes Israel a Visa Waiver Country Effective Immediately
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), author of the original Israel visa waiver legislation, welcomes President Biden's announcement that visa-free travel for Israelis to the United States will begin today. The announcement comes after an October 11th letter by Sherman and 23 bipartisan Members of Congress urging the Administration to begin visa-free travel for Israelis immediately.
President Biden created a breakthrough in the decade-long effort to add Israel to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program this September. However, visa-free travel for Israeli citizens was not originally slated to begin until November 30th. With visa processing temporarily suspended at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem following the horrific Hamas terror attacks against Israel on October 7th, this step is vital in allowing Israelis to travel freely.
"For over a decade, I've worked so that Israeli citizens could travel to the U.S. as easily as Europeans and Canadians," Sherman said. "For 75 years, and until today, Israelis had to prove certain facts to U.S. Embassy personnel – not an easy process – and many were turned down. And since the Hamas attack, the Visa office at our embassy in Jerusalem has been closed, meaning no Israeli could get a Visa. As of today, they won't need one."
This final step in beginning visa-free travel for Israelis to the United States comes 11 years after Congressman Sherman introduced the original bill to allow Israel's entrance into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Sherman's Visa Waiver for Israel Act was originally introduced in May of 2012. For years, Sherman has worked publicly and behind the scenes to secure Israel's entry into the Visa Waiver Program.
The letter was led by Congressman Brad Sherman and Congressman Jim Banks and signed by Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-Mccormick, Grace Meng, Chris Smith, Dina Titus, Andy Kim, Ann Kuster, Max Miller, Michael McCaul, Mike Gallagher, Shontel Brown, Brad Schneider, Adam Schiff, Hillary Scholten, John James, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sara Jacobs, Rich McCormick, Lizzie Fletcher, Jim Costa, Angie Craig, Steve Cohen, and Eric Swalwell.
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