The U.S. has added Qatar to its Visa Waiver Program, the first Gulf country to be admitted into the program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced this week.
With Qatar's approval into the program, the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization online application and mobile app will be updated by no later than Dec. 1 to allow Qatari citizens and nationals to apply for visa-free visits from both business and leisure of up to 90 days, according to DHS. That will "deepen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between our two countries," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
U.S. citizens already can visit Qatar without a visa for up to 30 days, and that is being extended to 90 days as of Oct. 1, DHS said.
Qatar is the 42nd country to be added to the visa waiver program and the third in the past few years, following Israel in 2023 and Croatia in 2021. Requirements for the program include "strict requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security and border management," according to DHS. Countries in the program are reviewed every two years to ensure they continue to meet those requirements.