Qatar joins the US Visa Waiver Program
On Tuesday, Qatar became the second Muslim-majority country to join a program that lets its citizens travel to the United States without needing a visa. The US Departments of State and Homeland Security announced that Qatar met strict requirements to enter the visa waiver program.
To qualify, countries must have a low rate of visa refusals, a low number of visa overstays, and agree to treat American travellers similarly. Currently, American visitors can stay in Qatar without a visa for up to 30 days.
“Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years,” the departments said in a statement. “This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability.”
Qatar, which has been involved in negotiating a cease-fire deal in Gaza and was a key U.S. partner during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, is now the 42nd country to be part of this program. Most nations in the program are long-time US allies in Europe and Asia, with Brunei being the only other Muslim-majority country included.
Although Qatar has a population of just over 3 million, only about 320,000 of these are Qatari citizens eligible for the program if they have valid passports. The majority of residents in Qatar are foreign workers and expatriates without Qatari citizenship.
The visa waiver program allows citizens from qualifying countries to visit the U.S. for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. However, travellers must still apply for approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which can be done online and does not require an in-person interview like traditional visa applications.
Starting October 1, US citizens will also be able to visit Qatar without a visa for 90 days. Israel was the last country to join this program in 2023, despite concerns about its treatment of Palestinian Americans and other groups.
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