Bahrain blocks entry visas for Qatari nationals
Bahrain is to stop issuing visas for Qatari nationals, the government in Manama said yesterday.
The Ministry of Interior declared that “in response to hostile behaviour against the kingdom of Bahrain, it was decided to stop issuing visas to Qatari nationals, except Qatari students studying in the kingdom”, the country’s news agency said.
The statement said the action was not aimed at the Qatari people and their “fraternal brotherly relations”, but to stop “the actions of the Qatari authorities” whom it said were acting irresponsibly and not following international laws.
As well as students, those with existing visas will be exempt from the ruling.
Nationals from other GCC member states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – can travel to other member states using just an ID card.
Bahrain announced in November last year that Qataris would need a visa for entry after it said several people travelling from other countries that sponsored terrorism were entering the kingdom using Qatari documents.
The move came after Qatar announced visa-free travel for Lebanese nationals.
“The waiving of the Qatari visa for the citizens of Lebanon, with due respect for the brotherly people of Lebanon, opened the door wide to the followers of the terrorist Hezbollah to enter Qatar and the GCC,” Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa tweeted at the time.
Bahrain said it had arrested many Iran-backed Hezbollah operatives and has accused the Lebanese militia and political party of sparking unrest in its Shiite community.
The country also accused Qatar of espionage operations and trying to destabilise Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt suspended travel and trade ties with Qatar last June for Doha’s support for terrorism and for its interference in the internal affairs of its neighbours.