More than half of Americans support abolishing visa requirements for Romanian nationals travelling to the United States, according to a study conducted in the United States by The Bullfinch Group in partnership with Romania’s INSCOP Research.
Despite Romania’s status as a US ally, the subject of visa cancellation has received insufficient attention. Romania, along with Bulgaria, Croatia,and Cyprus, has been removed from the Visa Waiver Program, which permits nationals of other EU nations to enter the United States without a visa.
Findings of the poll: 53% of Americans want Romania to be included in the Visa Waiver Program
When asked whether they support or oppose adding Romania to the Visa Waiver Program, which presently permits citizens of 40 countries to visit the US without a visa for 90 days or less, the majority of Americans (53 %) said they support removing Romanian citizens from the program. Only 21% of respondents are in favour of removing visas, while 25% are undecided.
In terms of political options, Democratic voters are the most in favour of removing visa requirements for Romanians. As a consequence, 57% of Democratic Party voters support Romania entering the Visa Waiver Program, while 15% are opposed and 28% are undecided.
Half of Republican Party voters (50 %) support the removal of visas for Romanian people, while 29% oppose it and 21% are undecided.
Independent voters support the removal of visas for Romanians in the same proportion as the general population. As a result, 54% of independent voters support Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program, while 21% oppose it and 25% are undecided.
Our data clearly shows that Americans have a very positive opinion of allied countries that support US policies around the world and that Americans do not perceive Romania as a source of illegal immigration. That is why most Americans support the inclusion of Romania in the Visa Waiver Program; the percentage of those who oppose it is significantly lower. It is also very relevant that there is absolutely no category of the population that we tested in the US in which the percentage of those who oppose the abolition of visas for Romanian citizens is higher than the percentage of those who support the abolition of visas.
Brett Lloyd, president and CEO of The Bullfinch Group
According to Remus Stefureac, head of Strategic Thinking Group, the information could help Romania access the Visa Waiver Program.
Data show very clearly that the share of the US population, registered voters from all political quarters (Democrats, Republicans or independents) who support the abolition of visas for Romanian citizens is more than double the share of those who oppose it. The findings may further contribute to the efforts to persuade members of the US Congress and the US administration to include Romania, one of America’s most reliable allies, in the Visa Waiver program.
Remus Stefureac, head of Strategic Thinking Group
In collaboration with INSCOP Research, the Bullfinch Group performed a national opinion poll in the United States as part of a research project sponsored by the think tank STRATEGIC Thinking Group. Phone interviews were used to collect data from February 19th to 23rd, 2022.
Romania is a US ally that supports US policies worldwide, and it has been a strategic politico-military partner since 1997. The fact that Washington does not offer all EU member nations visa-free travel on its territory remains an unresolved issue, to the prejudice of Romanians and other countries, including Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus. As a result, the idea of visa reciprocity between the EU and the United States is not fully implemented.
