Qatar to join US visa-free travel list in first for Arab country
Qatar is set to become the second Middle Eastern country, behind Israel, to join the US Visa Waiver Program.
WASHINGTON — The United States announced on Tuesday that it will allow Qatar to join its list of countries approved for its Visa Waiver Program, a reciprocity system that enables citizens of eligible countries to travel to the United States without obtaining a visa.
Qatar becomes the second country in the Middle East, after Israel, and the first Arab country to join the VWP. Israel was admitted into the program in September 2023, but its admission faced backlash after Palestinian Americans claimed they still weren't treated equally when trying to enter Israel, even as US citizens, under the VWP.
After years of close cooperation with the United States, Qatar joins 41 other countries on the coveted VWP list. Many countries that want to join the VWP — such as Argentina, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Brazil, to name a few — have implemented certain measures to enhance their chances of admission, which can help boost their tourism sectors and elevate their economic and security ties with other VWP countries.
The program is “first and foremost a security partnership. … Program countries must meet strict statutory and policy requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security and border management," administration officials told reporters on Tuesday.
