The United States imposed new travel restrictions on Hungarian citizens on Tuesday over concerns that the identities of nearly 1 million foreigners who have been granted Hungarian passports over nine years were not sufficiently verified, according to the U.S. Embassy and a government official.
The restrictions apply to the U.S. visa waiver program, which allows passport holders from 40 countries to enter the United States for business or tourism without a visa for up to 90 days.
The period of validity of travel for Hungarian passport holders under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization was reduced from two years to one year, and each traveler will be limited to a single entry into the United States. These only restrictions of this kind among the 40 states participating in the Visa Waiver Program.
A senior U.S. government official said the change came after years of failed U.S. efforts to work with Hungary's government to resolve security concerns. The official spoke anonymously to Reuters.