Visa-Free Entry: Every Indian dreams of going to America but getting an American visa is very difficult. Now if America gives visa free travel to the citizens of any country, then it will be like icing on the cake for them.
Visa-Free Entry: Every Indian dreams of going to America, but getting an American visa is equally difficult. Indians go through a lot of trouble to get an American visa. Now if America gives visa-free travel to the citizens of any country, then it will be like an icing on the cake for them. Now America has allowed a Muslim country to come to America visa-free i.e. without any visa. Qatar has now become the second Muslim-majority country in the world, whose citizens have been allowed to travel to the United States without a visa.
Citizens of Qatar get visa-free entry to America
The US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have announced that Qatar has successfully completed the stringent criteria of the Visa Waiver Program. This includes maintaining a low visa rejection rate and overstay rate and facilitating visa-free travel for American citizens in Qatar. According to the government statement, Qatar has been an important partner of the United States. Our strategic partnership has strengthened over the years. This is another proof of commitment to shared security and stability.
Qatar Joins the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), reflecting the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations. This step will strengthen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between Qatar and the US. pic.twitter.com/Xt73SsiIUf
— Qatar Embassy USA (@QatarEmbassyUSA) September 25, 2024
Qatari citizens can stay in the US without a visa for 90 days
Qatar, which has played a key role in the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, has now become the 42nd country to join the visa waiver program. Under this program, Qatari citizens can now enter the US without a visa for business or travel for up to 90 days. However, for this they will have to process online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which does not require a personal interview like applying for a visa in the traditional way.
Qatar has only 3.2 lakh citizens
Qatar has a population of more than 30 lakh. Out of these, only 3.2 lakh Qatari citizens are eligible for this program, as most of them are foreign laborers and immigrants who do not have Qatari citizenship. Under this decision, from October 1, American citizens will also be able to stay in Qatar without a visa for 90 days. Earlier, Israel was included in the visa waiver program in 2023. However, concerns remain about its discriminatory treatment of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Americans.
