EU has mixed views on U.S. visa program

Turns out, the 26-year-old bartender, a Hungarian citizen living in London, will have to wait.

Bush expanded the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, loosening rules in a way that make five more European countries eligible. Hungary is not among them.

The changes signed into law by Bush would enable business and leisure travelers from the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Estonia to enter the USA without visas, which can usually take four to 10 days to obtain.

Citizens from 27 countries — mainly Western European nations and Australia, New Zealand and Japan— already enjoy visa-free travel to the USA under the program.

In recent months, a frustrated European Union has been pressing the United States to extend visa-free access to all 27 EU members.

Americans aren't required to get tourist visas beforehand to travel anywhere in the EU. They only need to show their passports.

The EU has threatened restrictions on American travelers heading to Europe if changes weren't made to U.S. policy.

"We can no longer tolerate first- and second-class member states," said Franco Frattini, the European Commission's vice president in charge of justice issues.

The five additional European countries made it because legislation signed by Bush eased existing rules. Before the changes, allied countries qualified for the waiver program only if fewer than 3% of their visa applicants had been denied U.S. visas. The new law raises the threshold to 10%.

For Greeks, Czechs and others, the changes won't be immediate. Russ Knocke, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, says it will be months before the department sets out procedures that enable visitors to notify U.S. authorities of their travel plans two to three days beforehand.

Even with the change, Hungary, Poland and Romania have been left out in the cold. All three are EU states, NATO members and strong backers of U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. All three have sent troops to Afghanistan or been part of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

"For us as a country, it is difficult because we are among the closest (U.S.) allies," says Wojciech Pisarski, press officer at Poland's Embassy in London. "We, as a new EU member, should have equal rights."

U.S. consulate officers are trained to look out for foreign visitors who might overstay their 90-day visas and live illegally in the USA.

Paksi, the bartender, has twice been denied U.S. tourist visas, although he produced bank statements. He says he can't understand why Hungarians receive different treatment from the United States than British, French, Germans or other NATO allies.

"I think if we are supporting the U.S. just as much as the British people, the U.S. should welcome Hungarian citizens," Paksi says.

Paksi says he refused when a Mexican friend offered to help him enter the USA illegally from Mexico.

"I don't want to go illegally," he says. "I know the U.S. has a lot of illegal (immigrants), but I won't do it. Besides my girlfriend, there are a lot of things I want to see in America. I don't want to risk not being able to go back."

Hungary is close to qualifying for the waiver program. The refusal rate for Hungarian visa applicants was 12.7% for the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to U.S. State Department figures.

Gyorgy Odze, spokesman for Hungary's Foreign Ministry in Budapest, says some Hungarians are frustrated. However, he says, the Hungarian government is heartened by the new U.S. law and takes Bush at his word that "he would continue to advance this," especially since Hungary is close to being eligible.

Paksi, meanwhile, says he can quickly pack his bags. "I only want to visit," he says. "I won't stay illegally. I will come back."