So much for reciprocity. Despite the awkwardly written story in the Gulf Time and Peninsula, the 33 countries do not seem to have changed their visa policies. Some on the list already had reciprocal relationships (such as South Korea), but my understanding is that no country that did not offer visas on arrival to Qataris is offering it now as a result of all of this.
As other posters have remarked, I agree in the end that this was ultimately NOT about reciprocity but more about security and control of immigration and visitors. Unfortunately, the plan had not been fully thought out. I am sure the pressure from businesses to keep the old policy in place was tremendous.
So much for reciprocity. Despite the awkwardly written story in the Gulf Time and Peninsula, the 33 countries do not seem to have changed their visa policies. Some on the list already had reciprocal relationships (such as South Korea), but my understanding is that no country that did not offer visas on arrival to Qataris is offering it now as a result of all of this.
As other posters have remarked, I agree in the end that this was ultimately NOT about reciprocity but more about security and control of immigration and visitors. Unfortunately, the plan had not been fully thought out. I am sure the pressure from businesses to keep the old policy in place was tremendous.