Qatar Visas

NOTE - Future updates will be made to the Visa Section of our website.

Also see our Qatar Visa Forum for discussion about visas.

Please check whether visa regulations have changed before your trip. We do our best to keep things correct and up-to-date but regulations can change quickly in Qatar.

Be careful - visitors overstaying must pay a fine for every day after the expiry of the visa.

Tourist visas

A two week visa on arrival is available for the residents of 33 countries including Britain, America, Canada and Australia (see below for full list) at a cost of 55 Riyals. Payment can be made at the immigration desk with Visa, Visa-Electron, Mastercard, Maestro or E-Cash. It can be extended for a further two weeks. A hotel booking or the presence of relatives in the country are required. Two week visas can also be arranged by hotel and tourist operators. A three-week joint tourist visa for Qatar and Oman is available; Qatar must be the first port of entry. This can be extended for a further week.

Passports must be valid for six months after the date of return. Exit visas are not required.

Full list of countries
Visa on arrival is available for the residents of these countries:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, The Netherlands, USA, UK, Vatican City.

Business Visas

These are organised by Qatari Companies for nationals from the full list of countries below. They are valid for two weeks. They can be extended for two weeks at airport immigration although it may be possible to extend them for longer. An exit visa is only needed if the individual on the business visa has stayed longer than four weeks.

Work Visas

Expatriates will normally enter on a single entry visa valid for three months. This will be arranged by the employer. Police clearance (“Certificate of good conduct”) from your country may be required prior to entry. Once in the country expatriates will need residents permits and work visas, normally arranged by their companies. In order to get this, expatriates will need a health check, which will include a blood test and chest x-ray. This will be followed by fingerprinting. You must also get your blood type tested. This can be done at Doha Clinic in Al Mirquab Al Jadeed street for a nominal fee.

Family visas

Workers sponsor their own families. In some circumstances, expatriates need to go ahead of their family and arrange their own resident permits before applying for a family visas. Apply at the department of Labour on C ring road next to the American Hospital and opposite the Avis Garage. You will be given a form to complete with a list of the relevant documents: approval letter from work, bank statement of salary for the last six months (for non-government employees), marriage certificates, children's birth certificates and education certificates (although you don't always need these in practice). The last three should be certified, but in practice you probably don't need to. Photocopies are acceptable. You also need passport photos of yourself, your spouse and your children. Alternatively, you may be able to bring your family on tourist visas. After they have arrived you can convert their visa to a residence permit.

Qatar Visit Visas

Residents in Qatar can sponsor family members. The visit visa lasts for one month but can renewed for up to five months for immediate family and for up to two months for other family residents. Residents in the country should apply at the immigration department near Landmark.

Exit Visas

Holders of work visas will require an exit visa before leaving their country. To get an exit visa they will require permission from their sponsor. You may also require a guarantor – a person who is willing to sign a letter guaranteeing that he will repay any of your debts before you are granted an exit visa. Dependants (women and children) do not need exit visas. Your exit visa must be stamped at the immigration building opposite the airport before leaving the country. If you do need an exit visa, you can print out a copy from here. If you don't read and write Arabic, you can take it to a typist. (Typists are available in Souq Wqaif, at immigration and in the Sofatel area).

Visit Visas

You can arrange for visit visas for your families. These are for one month but can be extended for up to five months for immediate family and up to two months for other family. The cost is 220 riyals for the visa, 50 riyals for a companion in the visa and 220 riyals for each month the visa is renewed.

Also see: Escape from Qatar

Links

Ministry of Interior

Cancelling your Qatar Visa

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