‘Strategic partnership’: US admits Qatar to visa waiver programme

Move means Qatari citizens will be allowed to travel visa-free to the US for up to 90 days, and vice versa.

Qatar has become the first Gulf country admitted into the US visa waiver programme, the United States has announced, in a move that will allow Qatari citizens to travel visa-free to the country for up to 90 days.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security said Qatari citizens would be able to apply no later than December 1.

“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,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

“Qatar’s entry will make travel between the United States and Qatar safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris.”

Qatar and the US have enjoyed close ties for years, and Washington formally designated Doha as a “major, non-NATO ally” in 2022 in a sign of the countries’ deepening military and economic partnership.

Qatar also has played an important role alongside the US in trying to broker a ceasefire to end Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, which is nearing the one-year mark.

In Tuesday’s statement, the administration of US President Joe Biden said Qatar “has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years”.

An administration official earlier told reporters the US has a strong defence relationship with Qatar and praised Doha for taking the lead on pressing the Taliban on human rights in Afghanistan and providing assistance in Sudan, among other issues.

Qatar is the 42nd member of the visa waiver programme, with nations added infrequently. Croatia was added in 2021 and Israel joined last year.

To be admitted to the programme, a country must meet strict requirements related to law enforcement, border management, and other issues.

It also requires reciprocity, meaning that American citizens must be granted the same access to visa-free travel as citizens of a country joining the programme.

US citizens can already travel without visas to Qatar, but they will now be allowed to stay in the Gulf country for as many as 90 days – up from 30 days previously, the statement said.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies