Vatican City - Ilan lamang sa mga bansang pinapayagang pumasok sa Qatar nang walang prior Visa Arrangement

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Pope Francis (L) meets Qatar's Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on June 4, 2016 (Photo Source: Getty Image)

DOHA - Qatar announced on Wednesday a program to allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries to encourage air transport and tourism amid a two-month boycott imposed on the Gulf state by its neighbors.

Nationals from dozens of countries in Europe and elsewhere including India, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States only need present a valid passport to enter the gas-rich country which hosts the soccer World Cup in 2022.

Nationals of 33 countries will be allowed to stay for 180 days and the other 47 for up to 30 days.

"The visa exemption scheme will make Qatar the most open country in the region," Hassan al-Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development officer at Qatar Tourism Authority told reporters at a press conference in Doha.

Nationals of the 33 countries listed below do not require prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar. The waiver will be valid for 180 days from the date of issuance and entitle its holder to spend up to 90 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips.

1. Austria

2. Bahamas

3. Belgium

4. Bulgaria

5. Croatia

6. Cyprus

7. Czech Republic

8. Denmark

9. Estonia

10. Finland

11. France 12. Germany

13. Greece

14. Hungary

15. Iceland

16. Italy

17. Latvia

18. Liechtenstein

19. Lithuania

20. Luxembourg

21. Malta

22. Netherlands

23. Norway

24. Poland

25. Portugal

26. Romania

27. Seychelles

28. Slovakia

29. Slovenia

30. Spain

31. Sweden

32. Switzerland

33. Turkey

Nationals of the 47 countries listed below do not require prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar. The waiver will be valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and entitle its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. This waiver may be extended for a further 30 days.

1. Andorra

2. Argentina

3. Australia

4. Azerbaijan

5. Belarus

6. Bolivia

7. Brazil

8. Brunei

9. Canada

10. Chile

11. China

12. Colombia

13. Costa Rica

14. Cuba

15. Ecuador

16. Georgia

17. Guyana

18. Hong Kong

19. India

20. Indonesia

21. Ireland

22. Japan

23. Kazakhstan

24. Lebanon

25. Macedonia

26. Malaysia

27. Maldives

28. Mexico

29. Moldova

30. Monaco

31. New Zealand

32. Panama

33. Paraguay

34. Peru

35. Russia

36. San Marino

37. Singapore

38. South Africa

39. South Korea

40. Suriname

41. Thailand

42. Ukraine

43. United Kingdom

44. United States

45. Uruguay

46. Vatican City

47. Venezuela

Oil giant Saudi Arabia along with Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates imposed a boycott on Qatar on June 5 and cut off all transport links with the country after accusing it of supporting terrorism and of close ties to Iran.

Arab states draw up Qatari 'terror list'

http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/09/17/arab-states-draw-up-qatari-terror-list

Doha denies the charges. Since the boycott began, Qatar has sought to build up its diplomatic and trade ties beyond the Gulf region. The visa scheme is just the latest in a series of measures aimed at preparing Qatar for greater economic independence in the long term. Efforts led by Kuwait to resolve the rift are ongoing.

Qatar has flown in food supplies from Turkey and Iran and chartered new shipping routes via Oman to bring in construction materials but hotel occupancy rates have fallen with Saudis, a key source of tourism, barred by their government from visiting the country.

Visitors from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council usually account for almost half of all visitors to Qatar.

Air links suspended by the four Arab states represented around 25 percent of flights by state-owned Qatar Airways, one of the region's big three carriers.

On August 3, Qatar approved legislation allowing certain permanent residents to benefit from parts of the state's generous welfare system, including education and health-care services, a first for the Gulf.

Under the law, children of Qatari women married to foreigners and people with special skills "needed by the state," can benefit from the new status.

Foreign workers from countries including India and Nepal account for around 90 percent of Qatar's population of 2.7 million.

Qatar's World Cup organizing committee has said the Arab sanctions will not affect preparations for the World Cup.