New travel rule for Qataris to US soon: MoFA official

Qatari passport holders travelling to the US of America (US) for tourism and business purposes will be able soon to apply for a 90-day non-extendable travel authorisation, an official source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)'s Department of Consular Affairs said.

The move is pursuant to Qatar's accession to the US Visa Waiver Programme (VWP).

Qatari nationals can apply for a two-year travel authorisation via esta.cbp.dhs.gov or the mobile application (ESTA Mobile) through the IOS app store or Google Play store. The authorisations are valid for two years.

The travel authorisation is deemed void upon the expiration of the passport, the source said, adding that the implementation and requirements of the VWP will be announced in due course. (