Would you like to spend Saturday dining in Burj Khalifa or cooling off at Aquaventure? If you prefer to have full control of the trip and avoid flight delays and airport crowds, you can always make it a road trip! Here’s what you need for seamless travel from Qatar to the UAE, including documents, costs, visa requirements, and what the journey entails.

Before you start your journey, confirm that you have the following documents to allow you to cross borders:

• Qatar identification card (QID)

• Passport

• Driving license

• Saudi visa (for non-Qatari citizens)

• UAE visa (for non-Qatari citizens)

• Valid vehicle registration (Istimara)

• Car insurance: You must purchase separate car insurance policies for Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Your Qatar policy is only valid inside Qatar

• No objection certificate (NOC) for cross-border movement of the vehicle if it is not registered under your name (leased or company vehicle)

Qatari citizens can travel to Saudi Arabia and the UAE without a visa.

Saudi Arabia visa

You can apply for this visa online (e-visa) or at the Tasheer Visa Center in Qatar for a physical copy.

Qatar residents are eligible for a single-entry Saudi Arabian e-visa that allows them to stay in Saudi Arabia for up to 30 days. Alternatively, you can get a transit visa. The transit visa limits your stay in Saudi Arabia to 96 hours and you can apply on the official KSA Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or physically at the Tasheer Visa Center in Ezdan Mall, Al Gharaffa. 

The Saudi Arabia e-visa application is a straightforward process. Simply register an e-visa account, complete the application form, and pay the fee.

For visa applications at the Tasheer Center in Qatar, gather all the required documents (original passport, personal photograph, copy of QID, and a copy of your passport) and book an appointment online. 

UAE visa

The UAE entry visa is required for all Qatar residents with a valid QID. The application is through the Government of Dubai website. The visa allows GCC residents to enter the UAE for 30 days, and can be extended only once. 

To apply online, create an account and log in to the website. Then, fill in the application form and attach all the required documents (scanned passport, a photo taken a white background, and a copy of your QID). 

Pay visa fees of around QAR 200, submit the visa application, and wait for your visa to be processed.

GCC residents under family sponsorship traveling to the UAE from Qatar require a visitor visa. It allows entry into the country for a maximum of 30 days, and you can apply through travel agencies. For this type, all visa holders are required to purchase health insurance.

Note: Pricing is based on the following exchange rates: 1 AED=QAR 0.99 and SAR 1=QAR 0.97 

Traveling from Doha to Dubai by road is a journey through three countries. You’ll have to go through Saudi Arabia, as the UAE and Qatar do not share a land border. 

First, you exit Qatar and enter Saudi Arabia via the Abu Samra Border point. The second leg of the journey is across Saudi Arabia before crossing into the UAE via the Al Batha border. Here is a breakdown of distances for each leg of the trip:

• Doha to Abu Samra border: 100 km

• Abu Samra to Al Batha (transit through Saudi Arabia): 148 km

• Al Batha/Al Ghuwaifat to Dubai: 468 km

The distance is about 720 kilometers, and it takes 7–9 hours to travel from Doha to Dubai by road. You will spend between one and three hours at the border control points.

First leg: Qatar to Saudi Arabia

Here’s how crossing the Qatar-Saudi Arabia border point (Abu Samra) works:

1. You will approach the Qatar immigration desk for clearance with all your documents. It is advisable to pre-register for the Abu Samra border using Metrash if you are a resident of Qatar with a valid QID. Those on visit visas can also pre-register on Hayya. Pre-registration speeds up clearance at the border.

2. After clearing with the Qatari authorities, drive a short distance towards the Saudi Arabian immigration and customs desks. Proceed to the building marked “Passports”. Here, Saudi officers will capture your biometrics, which includes eye scans, fingerprints, and a digital photo. You can skip the biometric procedures if you applied for your visa and submitted your biometrics at the Tasheer Visa Center. 

3. The immigration officers will then check and validate your visa before you can proceed to the vehicle checkpoint. There are separate queues for men and women, GCC residents, and GCC citizens.

4. Head to the vehicle checkpoint. At the vehicle checkpoint, hand over the registration and insurance documents. The officers will inspect your vehicle and validate all the documentation. You can purchase car insurance for the Saudi Arabia part of the journey here (if not already purchased online). 

5. You can then begin your journey towards the Saudi/UAE border. You can still use Qatar debit/credit cards on the Saudi Arabian side of the border. Some businesses also accept Qatari riyals.

Second leg: Saudi Arabia to UAE

The transit between the Abu Samra border and the Saudi/UAE border at Al Batha takes about two hours via Highway 5M. Al Batha is the name of the Saudi Arabian crossing, while Al Ghuwaifat is on the UAE side of the border.

Here’s how this part of the journey goes:

1. At the border, you will drive into Al Batha Port to customs. The officers will verify your documentation before proceeding to the passport control. 

2. Drive towards the UAE side. There, you will drive through a scanner and reach the immigration booth. Present all your documents, including the UAE visa. Every traveler must complete a biometrics procedure, which is an iris scan. Follow the correct queue depending on your GCC residency status and gender to avoid wasting time.

3. After immigration, head towards the customs booth. They will check vehicle documentation before you can proceed to the final checkpoint.

4. The last check will be at the vehicle insurance desk for UAE vehicle insurance. If everything is approved, proceed with your journey to Dubai or any other part of the country by joining Highway E11. The journey from Al Ghuwaifat to Dubai takes approximately four hours.

UAE charges toll fees (Salik), which are between AED 4–6 (QAR 4–6) per toll, depending on the time of day. Create a Salik account online or purchase Salik tags from authorized dealers before entering Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Passing the toll gates without paying subjects you to fines. 

It’s best to begin your trip to Doha early in the morning, preferably before dawn. That way, you can complete border processing when the temperatures are still low, especially during summer. 

Always ensure you service your vehicle before leaving Qatar — inspect its state a few weeks before the trip. Also, check if the car has sufficient fluids, a working air conditioner, and tyres in good condition. Carry a spare wheel, a car repair kit, and the emergency triangle.

Fuel your vehicle just before the Abu Samra border point (a Woqod fuel station is nearby). There aren’t that many stations in Saudi Arabia, and all of them are a little further from the border point (at least 15 kilometers away). You can find prayer rooms and bathrooms at petrol stations along the highways between Doha and Dubai.

Returning to Qatar

Once you leave Dubai, head to the Al Ghuwaifat border. At the border, there is a booth where you stop to pay exit fees. The exit fee from the UAE is AED 30 (around QAR 30). You’ll then drive towards the passport control, present your papers, and proceed to the customs booth for clearance. After that, you’ll reach the Al Batha border control and present your documentation to the Saudi Arabian immigration officers. 

Then, continue to the Abu Samra border point. To re-enter Qatar, you will first clear with the Saudi immigration agents, presenting all your papers, including the receipt you acquired when purchasing Saudi Arabian car insurance. On the Qatar side of the border, you’ll need to scan your residency permit and passport to go back to Qatar.