The Biden administration announced that a new arrangement will allow American citizens to visit Qatar for longer periods of time and provide Qatari citizens with visa-free travel to the U.S. for tourism or business purposes. Qatar will be the first Gulf nation to join the Visa Waiver Program, which allows certain foreigners to travel to the U.S. without visas if their countries enhance security and information-sharing arrangements with the U.S. Officials stated that Qatar has fulfilled the security requirements to join the program, including providing access to passenger records and databases on criminals and terrorists. The start date for visa-free travel for Qataris is expected to be before December.
As part of the arrangement, American travelers will be able to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days starting on October 1st, an increase from the current 30-day limit. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Qatar’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program will deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries and make travel safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris. Currently, American tourists and business travelers already enjoy visa-free travel to Qatar, but the new agreement will allow for longer stays for U.S. nationals.
The Visa Waiver Program currently applies to nationals of 42 countries, mostly U.S. allies in Europe, allowing citizens of those countries to travel to the U.S. without visas. However, participants in the program are still screened by American officials before entering the country. Qatar will be the third country added to the program under the Biden administration, with Croatia and Israel also recently joining. The addition of Qatar to the Visa Waiver Program is seen as a way to enhance the flow of people and commerce between Qatar and the U.S., strengthening their strategic partnership.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, the immigration reporter at CBS News, covers immigration policy and politics from Washington. He reports that Qatar’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program will benefit both American and Qatari citizens by making travel between the two countries safer, more secure, and easier. The government in Doha has agreed to allow American travelers to stay longer in Qatar, demonstrating a commitment to enhancing the partnership with the U.S. and facilitating greater opportunities for tourism and business travel between the two nations.Visa-free travel for Qataris to the U.S. is expected to commence before December, pending the finalization of specific dates for implementation.
