The United States of America announced that the State of Qatar will become the first Gulf and Arab country to obtain a privilege from it for all its citizens, by next December.
Qatar is included in the US Visa Waiver Program, which allows its citizens to travel to America without a visa, for up to 90 days.
The US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security announced in a joint statement issued last Tuesday that Qatari citizens will be able to apply for visa-free travel by December 2024.
The US State Department confirmed that “this decision came after consultations between US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.”
The statement indicated that both officials mentioned Qatar as an “exceptional partner” for Washington, stressing that this step will strengthen bilateral relations.
The statement added: “Qatar has become the first Gulf state to join the program, and we encourage additional partners to meet all its requirements to be allowed to join it, in order to enhance bilateral and regional security cooperation.”
For his part, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas indicated that cooperation and information exchange on the Visa Waiver Program would encourage travel and enhance trade between the two countries, which would greatly enhance US security interests.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stressed that Qatar’s inclusion in the visa waiver program is a major step in deepening the partnership between Qatar and Washington, adding that “the program will make travel between the two countries safer and more comfortable.”
According to the US State Department, “Qatar has been an exceptional partner to America, with the strategic relationship between the two countries growing in recent years.”
It is worth noting that the majority of those who benefit from the US visa waiver are from wealthy European and East Asian countries.
Last year, Israel was included in the US visa waiver program following rising tensions in the Middle East.
There are currently 42 countries in the US Visa Waiver Program, allowing their citizens to travel to America without a visa.
shafaq.com