Israel has been shortlisted for the US visa waiver program, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said Tuesday.
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"We have four candidates in the pipeline: Israel, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania," he said, adding, "We're very, very focused on the program."
Israel has been lobbying for the move for years, as being included in the US visa waiver program would enable all Israelis to visit the United States for up to 90 days for tourism or business.
Currently, Israelis seeking to travel to the US, even briefly, must go through a lengthy visa application process.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan welcomed the move, saying, "We're continuing to work at full power so that Israeli citizens can enter the United States freely without the need for a visa, as is fitting for our closest ally.
"The clear statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas… is a very significant advancement toward achieving that goal."
