EU Moves Toward Allowing Qataris Admission Without Visa
This follows the UK's announcement that GCC nationals will be able to enter the country without a visa starting in 2023.
According to reports, citizens of Qatar and Kuwait may soon be granted visa-free short-stay travel to nations in the European Union.
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According to SchengenVisaInfo.com, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) of the Council of the European Union accepted the initiative to negotiate such a mandate, and the presidency is now ready to start discussions based on this mandate.
This applies to citizens of Kuwait and Qatar who travel to the EU for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
According to the Council's statement, "The Council thus took the first step towards visa liberalization with Kuwait and Qatar, which should apply after the conclusion of bilateral agreements with these countries, in particular, to ensure that full reciprocity of this exemption for EU citizens is maintained."
From 2023, the UK no longer requires Qataris to have visas
Following an extensive examination of irregular migration, economic benefits, public policy, security, and the union's connections with both countries, the proposal to eliminate visa requirements for inhabitants of Kuwait and Qatar was made.
The statement went on to emphasize that the exemption should take effect after the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is anticipated to go into operation in 2023, and that the agreements also aim to establish who is responsible for readmitting Kuwaiti and Qatari individuals who find themselves in abnormal circumstances.
Although the most recent development only pertains to Kuwait and Qatar, the EU Council emphasized in its negotiating mandate that special attention should be devoted to regional coherence, particularly with a view to improving travel and people-to-people relations between the EU and the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The panel declared on April 27 that Kuwait and Qatar had already met the standards when it presented the proposal for visa liberalization for their citizens.
Both Gulf states applauded the decision when it was made, which attempts to make their citizens' access to the court system easier.
Visiting the UK without a visa
The revelation comes after the British government declared that Qatar and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council will be able to travel to the UK without a visa starting in 2023.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain will switch to the UK's new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) program when it launches in the new year.
Gulf states will now be among the first nations in the world to have access to ETAs and visa-free travel to the UK, according to Priti Patel, UK Home Secretary.
The security of the UK border is our top priority, and by implementing ETAs, we can make sure that everyone seeking to visit the UK has the authorization to do so well in advance of travel and that those who represent a threat are turned away.
The brand-new ETA system is a critical part of the UK government's ambition to create an entirely paperless border by the end of 2025. It will reportedly largely apply to visitors travelling through the UK or those staying for brief periods of time who do not now require a visa or do not already possess a UK visa, according to sources.