Qatar and the US yesterday signed an agreement that will pave the way for easing the procedures for Qatari nationals travelling to America.The Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met the US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano at his office in the ministry yesterday and both sides discussed ways of cooperation on issues of bilateral concern and means to foster them.After the meeting, HE the Minister and US Secretary of Homeland Security signed an agreement to bring into effect the clauses of a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed previously. Director of International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Brigadier Saud Abdullah al-Mahmood said that a previous LOI had been singed between Qatar and US and it had some clauses regarding the travel procedures between both countries and “today both sides signed an execution plan of some of these clauses and it mainly focuses on two points; immigration consultancy services and easing travel procedures”. He said the agreement will ease the travel procedures for Qatari nationals travelling to US and avoid any difficulties that may arise at US airports. As part of this, a US team will be available at Doha International Airport to facilitate the procedures of Qatari nationals travelling to US and to ensure that they are not facing any issues at US airports as part of checking and verifying procedures. To ease the travel procedures, Qatari nationals can fill the required immigration forms online under the supervision of Qatar’s Ministry of Interior. Also , on an experimental basis, e-gate procedures will be implemented for Qataris to pass through US airports.The Security Attaché at Qatari Embassy in Washington said that the agreed upon procedures will be for those who have obtained a US visa .The assistant director of Information Systems Department of the MoI Colonel Abdul Rahman Al-Maliki said that the programmes will be implemented in phases. He also added that US immigration consultancy services to be set up at Doha Airport will be available for nationals and residents as well as for transit passengers while the travel easing procedures will be limited to Qataris. Once the technical procedures are completed, the online immigration procedures will start, Colonel al-Maliki added.