How to Get a Qatari Visa: Application Requirements

    The head of any traveler planning a trip to Qatar is stuffed with all sorts of questions: what type of Qatar visa do I need? How much does a permit cost? How can I get a free visa for Qatar? Can I apply for an arrival permit? Too many questions for one person, don’t you think so? To make your task easier and help you navigate  all sorts of Qatar visas, we’ve pointed out the key aspects you might be interested in. So let’s  cut to the chase!

All types of travel permits that can be used to enter Qatar are divided into three groups:

1. Type C visas, include:

• Tourist visa

• Business visas

• Family visit visa

• GCC resident visit visa

2. Type D visas, include:

• Investor visa

• Family residence visa

• Educational residence visa

• Real estate visa

3. Transit visa.

Type C documents are given for a short stay in the county (up to 90 days), while type D is intended for travelers planning to spend more than 3 months in Qatar. A transit visa is valid for 24 hours and allows leaving the territory of the airport.

The Qatari policy regarding tourist visits is rather lenient. The state established a visa-free regime with more than 95 countries. Their citizens can travel to Qatar with a visa on arrival while the nationals of the GCC members Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman don’t need any type of permit to enter Qatar.

The intergovernmental agreements between Qatar and other countries vary. Based on them, the duration of a visit for residents of these states may range from 30 to 90 days.

The travelers from Canada, Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, India, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Lebanon, San Marino, United Kingdom, Montenegro, Australia, New Zealand, Guyana, Andorra, Pakistan, Panama, Ireland, Japan, Cuba, Ecuador, United States, Thailand, Vatican City, Uruguay, Brunei, Chile, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Moldova, Peru, Maldives, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Falkland Islands, Macau, Rwanda, French Guiana, Mauritius, Paraguay, South Africa, Venezuela, Macedonia, South Korea, Monaco, and Suriname can spend in Qatar up to 30 days. Tourists from these countries can extend the duration of their on arrival visa for 30 days maximum.

The residents of France, Austria, Latvia, Belgium, Lichtenstein, Antigua and Barbuda, Malta, Lithuania, Slovenia, Ukraine, Norway, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria, Poland, Malta, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Switzerland, Turkey, Italy, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Dominican Republic, Czech Republic, Holland, Argentina, Germany, Luxembourg, Bahamas, Latvia, Portugal, and Seychelles will have their permit valid for 180 days, 90 of which they can spend in Qatar.

The candidates wishing to obtain this type of visa need to meet certain requirements and provide documents listed below:

• Proof of citizenship of the eligible state.

• Certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 (there must be at least two weeks between the last vaccination and the date of arrival).

• Negative coronavirus infection test (made using PCR method within 72 hours prior to arrival).

• Passport with at least half a year validity.

• Accommodation proof.

• Return flight booking.

• Ehteraz pre-travel approval (register minimum 3 days in advance of the trip).

• 1400 USD on your bank balance min (for the nationals of some states).

• Health insurance vor visitors.

You should apply for an on arrival visa before your trip. You can get it by uploading to Ehteraz the following scanned papers:

1. Your passport

2. COVID-19 vaccination certificate

3. 4.5x3.5 cm photograph

4. Accommodation proof

5. Flight tickets

When your visa is approved, you’ll get an in-app notification. The document should be downloaded and printed to show it at passport control. Also, to enter Qatar you have to sign the Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form. It can be downloaded from the online resources of the Ministry of Public Health, Ehteraz, and any airline booking website.  Fill it out, print it, and provide it when asked.

The State of Qatar has simplified the procedure of tourist permit applications so that more people could travel to the country. In particular, visa applications can be submitted online. Those travelers who are not eligible for on arrival visa may get a tourist visa. It can be done through:

• Qatar Airways

• Authorized hotels

• Employer

• Qatar Visa Service

The papers you should provide to receive a tourist visa include:

• Passport with at least 6 months validity and 3 blank pages left (original + color copies).

• Your recent 4,5x3.5 cm color photograph with your face covering 80% of the photo on white background.

While the previous method allows avoiding paperwork, transiting all the documents online, the application through a hotel will require you to collect some papers. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Visa application form (filled out and printed).

• Copy of your passport.

Once you have all these documents, submit them to your hotel manager or a person representing him and wait for the decision regarding your travel permit.

How to Get a Tourist Travel Permit Through Employer?

Another way to receive a tourist travel permit is through your employer. Authorized employers  may arrange this document for travelers in advance of their visit. The procedure of getting a visa through an employer is no different from  the permit through Qatar Airways. 

Please note that the holders of a tourist visa are not allowed to work in Qatar.

How to Get the Permit through Qatar Visa Service?

One more way to get approval for entry to Qatar is to ask for the permit through Qatar Visa Service. You should:

1. Fill out the application form online.

2. Upload the documents listed in the form (passport scans, photographs, etc.).

3. Upload accommodation proof.

4. Upload flight ticket reservation proof.

5. Pay the fees (QAR 100).

The application requirements for a family visa vary depending on the type of permit you’d like to get. A family visit visa will work for a short-term (6 months max) visit of your close family members. This document can be issued to the wife and children of expats employed in Qatar. The initial permit is valid for one month only but can be extended by another five months. The visa extension is available for the holders who have undergone a medical check only.

If you want to bring a family to Qatar to live with you, you should apply for a family residence visa. It can be received by wives and children of the expatriate employees meeting the criteria listed below:

• At least QAR 10,000 monthly salary.

• Employment with the company for a minimum of half a year.

• Valid QID.

• Residence permit from the employer.

How to Apply for a Visit Visa for your Wife in Qatar?

To bring your wife to Qatar, you should complete an application form on the MOI e-services platform or do it in the Metrash 2 app. Aside from this, you need to provide the following documents:

• Copy of your QID.

• Copy of your spouse’s passport

• Notarized marriage certificate.

• No-objection certificate from your employer with your profession and salary stated.

• Company Card photocopy.

• Work contract (notarized by the Labor Department).

• Health insurance.

• Return flight ticket.

How to Apply for a Visit Visa for Parents in Qatar?

Such visas are available for parents of expatriates whose families live with them. You can apply for the document via MOI online service or using Metrash2. The list of papers you have to collect for this kind of permit is similar to the previous one. But it also includes:

• Visitor’s passport copy.

• Your spouse’s passport copy (if she is a Qatari resident).

• Proof of your relationship (such as your birth certificate).