Hungary’s visa-free status to be revoked by the USA

Index.hu reports that a serious passport fraud has been unveiled that was taking place in Hungary. Direkt36 and the Washington Post have lead a joint investigation, through which it was revealed that over 700 foreigners acquired Hungarian passports illegally. With these Hungarian papers, they could easily enter the United States.

As a result of Hungary joining the American visa-free community in 2008, those in possession of a Hungarian passport are free to enter the United States of America after simple online registration. This privilege has been exploited by many since then: according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), at least 700 foreigners have applied for and got Hungarian passports fraudulently. 65 of them made it to the USA and, based on the latest data from October 2017, 30 of them are still on American soil. The authorities are seeking to deport them.

Severe measures are to be taken by the US Government if the Hungarians do not solve the problem as soon as possible.

Hungary’s visa-free status was changed to temporary last October, but it might even be revoked.

Representatives of the DHS were sent to Budapest last month to give the Hungarian government a warning.

Index.hu argues that the security breach is caused by a law passed in 2010, according to which those Hungarians living abroad who have Hungarian ancestors can apply for Hungarian citizenship and Hungarian passport. As we have reported previously, this privilege is misused mostly by Ukrainians and Russians, who apply for the Hungarian documents with fake papers, with the papers of others or by bribing Hungarian officials.