US limits Hungarian visa rights over security risk
The US has sharply limited Hungary's participation in a visa waiver system for failing to tackle security issues flagged by Washington, BBC reports.
More than a million people have gained Hungarian passports under a fast-track citizenship plan introduced in 2011. The US says the system, introduced after Viktor Orban came to power, is prone to "security breaches".
The rules will severely curtail entry rights under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta).
Those using the system will be allowed one entry, the US embassy in Budapest added. Normally, Esta allows multiple entries for up to 90 days without a visa for tourism or pleasure.
Forty countries are in the Esta scheme. Hungary is the only nation to face restrictions.
The US embassy said the move followed "Hungary's decision not to fully address the security vulnerabilities created by its earlier implementation of its simplified naturalisation process".
It added that the US had engaged in "extensive efforts over many years" to resolve what it called "longstanding security issues arising from Hungary's simplified naturalisation process".
After Mr Orban became prime minister in 2011, Hungary began offering simplified naturalisation programme to those claiming Hungarian ancestry and living abroad.
The large majority were taken by ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine, Romania and Serbia. The vast majority of ethnic Hungarians living abroad support his right-wing Fidesz party, which took 93.89% of the diaspora vote in 2022.
