Qatar visa policy is notably quite liberal compared to other Middle Eastern countries. Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) have freedom of movement in Qatar, but there are an additional 85+ countries whose citizens can enter Qatar without a visa, while Rest can easily apply for Qatar Visa online or on arrival. . This policy has made Qatar more accessible to tourists and business travelers, and has contributed to the country’s growing tourism industry.
- Types of Qatar Visa
Different types of visas can be applied for depending on the purpose and duration of your stay. These types of visas are granted by Qatar :
- Tourist visa : Tourist visa is given to those people who want to come to Qatar for tourism purpose, this visa is valid for 30 days.
- Business visa : Business visas are granted in two categories and allow one to do business in Qatar on a temporary period. A 72-hour business visa issued for short-term trips, which can be extended for another 72 hours. The second business visa allows entry to migrant workers or people who intend to engage in contractual work for a short period of time. It is valid for three months.
- Visa For Cultural, Sports Activities and Participation to Conferences: Travelers from third country wishing to visit Qatar to attend cultural or sporting events can apply for this visa.
- Family visa: Family members of migrant workers who wish to visit them for a period of up to six months can apply for a Family Visit Visa. Although this visa is issued for one month, it can be extended up to 6 months.
- Transit visa: If you will pass through Qatar on your way to a third destination and have a layover that’s longer than five hours, then you can apply for a Qatar transit visa. The Qatar transit visa is issued for free, and you can use it to enter and stay in Qatar for up to four days
- Education and Traineeship Visa: Foreign nationals who wish to visit Qatar for education or training purposes can also apply for this visa, supported by the host institution. All visa procedures are governed by the Ministry of the Interior.
- Eligibility for Qatar Visa
- You must have a passport that valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure
- A passport size photograph with white Background
- Your confirmed return tickets
- You must have proof of Accommodation
- Vaccination certificate
- A negative PCR test
- Documents for Qatar Visa
- Original passport, at least 6 months validity
- First and last page of your passport (scanned color copy)
- Passport size photograph with white background
- Confirmed return ticket from Qatar
- Proof of hotel reservation
- Bank statement
- You must be vaccinated with one of the following vaccines to travel to Qatar
- Pfizer BioNTech
- Moderna
- Astrazeneca (Covishield)
- Johnson & Johnson
- Sinopharm
- Conditional Qatar Visa Exemption Countries
- Passport with validity of at least another 6 months.
- A confirmed return ticket.
- A confirmed hotel reservation.
- A valid debit or credit card.
- Proof of vaccination
- Processing Time Of Qatar Visa
Qatar visa processing time varies depending on the type of visa you needed.
- For regular visas, the processing time can take up to two weeks.
- For eVisas and ETAs, the processing time is usually shorter.
- Qatar Visa Fee
Qatar visa fee may vary according to the type of visa you require. Some go to Qatar for sightseeing, some for work and some for business. You will have to pay the visa fee as required. And one more thing, if you stay in Qatar more than the given time, then you will have to pay QR20 per day as a fine.
