(TheConservativeTimes.org) – Qatar has been the first Gulf country admitted into the visa waiver programme, according to the United States. The new program would allow Qatari residents to travel to the United States visa-free for up to ninety days.
The U.S State Department and the Department of Homeland Security said that Qatari citizens would be able to apply prior to December first.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Qatar’s fulfillment of the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program will deepen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between our two countries.”
”Qatar’s entry will make travel between the United States and Qatar safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris,” he continued.
Qatar and the United States have been close allies for a long time and they’ve recently named Doha as a “major, non-NATO ally” as the countries deepen their partnership.
Joe Biden’s Administration stated that Qatar has been an “exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years.”
Qatar is the forty-second member of the visa programme. To be admitted into the programme, a country must meet requirements that are related to law enforcement, border management, and other strict issues.
With this, it also requires reciprocity which means that American citizens must be granted the same visa-free access to the country joining the program. Citizens from the United States could already travel without visas to Qatar for thirty days, but with this change, it will now be up to ninety days.
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