Questions and Answers – Proposal for Visa exemption for nationals of Qatar and Kuwait

Why is the Commission proposing visa-free travel to the EU for Qatar and Kuwait nationals?

The Commission is proposing today to lift visa requirements for Qatar and Kuwait nationals following a positive assessment of the criteria set in the EU rules on visa requirements (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). This Regulation lists the non-EU countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. The criteria include irregular immigration, public policy and security, economic benefit, in particular in terms of tourism and foreign trade, and the Union's external relations with the relevant non-EU countries, as well as the implications of regional coherence and reciprocity.

The assessment of the Commission concluded that the countries concerned present low irregular migration risks. Moderate security risks stemming from the region can be mitigated through increased cooperation on security, checks at the EU's external borders, as well as with the upcoming entry into operation of the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) and of the pre-travel screening of visa-free travellers (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). Qatar and Kuwait also present external relations interests for the EU. The assessment highlights the important economic interest for the EU, in terms of trade, energy cooperation and tourism. Both countries have undertaken reforms in the area of human rights.

You can find more detailed information on the Commission's assessment in the Staff Working Document issued today.

What will visa-free travel to the EU for Qatari and Kuwaiti nationals mean in practice?

Once the proposal is agreed, Qatar and Kuwait nationals with biometric passports will no longer need visas when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days. This covers travel to all EU Member States except for Ireland, as well as to the four Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

Visa-free travellers will continue to be checked against the Schengen Information System and Member State's national databases at the EU's external borders, to verify that they fulfil the entry requirements. Visa-exempt travellers visiting the Schengen area will also be subject to the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) as of the second half of 2022 and to the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) as of May 2023.

What happens if the criteria for visa exemption cease to be fulfilled?

The Commission will monitor the visa-free status. If a country no longer meets the criteria for visa exemption, the Commission can propose to transfer it back to the list of visa-required countries.

In addition, the visa suspension mechanism and the visa reciprocity mechanism allow the Commission and Member States to trigger a suspension of the visa exemption in case of increased irregular migration or security risks, including risks linked to investor citizenship or residence schemes, or if a visa-free non-EU country introduces a visa requirement for EU citizens.

Is the Commission planning to propose granting visa-free travel to more countries?

The Commission is monitoring the situation and may propose new visa exemptions in the future where appropriate based on an assessment against the criteria set in the EU rules on visa requirements (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806).

In particular, the EU will continue engaging with the remaining visa-required Gulf Cooperation Council countries that are interested in visa-free travel to the EU. The Commission will shortly launch technical discussions with these partners on the fulfilment of criteria for visa exemption under the Visa Regulation. The final objective is to achieve visa free travel for all Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

What are the next steps?

It is now for the European Parliament and the Council to examine the proposal and decide whether to grant visa-free travel to the EU to nationals of Qatar and Kuwait. If the proposal is adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, the EU will negotiate a visa waiver agreement with Qatar and Kuwait, respectively. Such agreements would include concrete commitments to ensure the maintenance of the visa-free status and provide for full visa reciprocity for EU citizens.

Visa-free travel to the EU for nationals of Qatar and Kuwait will start applying once the visa waiver agreement enters into force.

For More Information

Press Release: Commission proposes visa-free travel to the EU for Qatar and Kuwait nationals

Proposal for a Regulation on visa exemption for nationals of Qatar and Kuwait (see also the Staff Working Document on the Commission's assessment)

Website – EU visa policy