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Qatari citizens eligible for the programme, arsenic astir residents are overseas workers oregon expatriates without Qatari passports. (File Photo)
The Gulf authorities of Qatar has go the 2nd Muslim-majority state to beryllium included successful the US Visa Waiver Programme, allowing its citizens to question to the United States without obtaining a visa.
The US Departments of State and Homeland Security announced that Qatar had met the rigorous eligibility criteria, which see a debased complaint of visa refusals, minimal overstays, and reciprocal visa-free introduction for US travellers to Qatar.
“Qatar has been an exceptional spouse for the United States, and our strategical narration has lone grown stronger implicit the past fewer years,” stated the US departments. “This is further grounds of our strategical concern and our shared committedness to information and stability”, according to a study by Associated press.
Qatar, which has played a important relation successful US diplomacy, including efforts successful Gaza ceasefire negotiations and supporting the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, present joins the 42 countries successful the programme. Most participants are semipermanent US allies from Europe and Asia. Before Qatar, Brunei was the lone different Muslim-majority state successful the scheme.
Though Qatar’s colonisation exceeds 3 million, lone astir 320,000 Qatari citizens are eligible for the programme, arsenic astir residents are overseas workers oregon expatriates without Qatari passports.
The waiver allows Qatari citizens to participate the US for concern oregon tourism for up to 90 days, though they indispensable inactive get physics support via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), an online process that doesn’t necessitate an in-person interview.
From 1st October, US citizens volition besides beryllium capable to sojourn Qatar without a visa for up to 90 days. Israel, admitted to the programme successful 2023, was the past state to articulation contempt concerns implicit its attraction of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Americans.
(with inputs from AP)
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