Doha: According to the new visa policies by the United Kingdom, Qataris and nationals from other Gulf Corporation Council countries will be able to visit the country without a visa from 2023, the UK government said.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, UAE, and Bahrain will move onto the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme when it’s starts in 2023.
“This move means that Gulf states will be among the first countries in the world to benefit from ETAs and visa-free travel to the UK,” said the UK’s Home secretary Priti Patel.
“Our number one priority is the security of the UK border and by launching ETAs we can ensure that everyone wishing to travel to the UK has permission to do so in advance of travel and refuse those who pose a threat.”
The ETA scheme is a key part of the UK government’s move to have a fully digital border by the end of 2025. It will broadly apply to passengers visiting or transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or do not hold another UK visa, reports said.
The Home Office said that the application process is “straight forward” and that the scheme will “act as an additional security measure allowing the government to block threats from entering the UK, whilst also providing individuals with more assurance at an earlier point in time about their ability to travel.”
Once granted, an ETA is valid for multiple trips over an extended period of time.
Prior to the introduction of ETAs in 2023, travellers from the Gulf can continue to use Electronic Visa Waivers which allows individuals to complete an online waiver for each visit to the UK.