Should I get a visa for Qatar? If so, how to get Qatar visa? What are the Qatar visa types? What are Qatar visa requirements? These are questions you might want to ask before considering visiting Qatar. To answer such questions, we will dive into the topic. First, let's learn some basic information about Qatar.
Qatar is a small independent emirate situated on the west coast of the Persian Gulf. Having the world’s largest reserves of gas and petroleum, this small peninsula is bustling with activity. Qatar has a strong relationship with western powers, making it a safe hub for citizens of developed countries in the middle east. As Qatar’s economy grows, thousands come from different parts of the world to work here. Qatar has also alleviated bureaucratic procedures to attract more visitors to develop the tourism sector.
Qatar visa policy
Qatar visa policy can vary according to its relationship with different countries. For example, people from the 5 countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE) can get a visa on arrival in Qatar, upon presenting a valid ID card at a border entry point. However, you should meet the following conditions:
- Applicant should possess a valid residence permit in any 5 GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE)
- The validity of your GCC residence permit should not be less than 6 months
- The validity of your passport should not be less than 6 months
- Applicant should have a return ticket
- The applicant should pay a Visa fee of QR 100 and if he is accompanied by someone then an additional QR 50 for each should be paid
- The accompanying person shall be allowed if he has a valid residence permit and sponsorship of the applicant
In general, it is safe to say that the Qatar visa policy is friendly to many countries. After all, citizens of more than 80 countries can benefit from visa-free entry into Qatar, thanks to a visa waiver upon arrival. Nonetheless, it has some prerequisites which we will elaborate on. Before that let’s learn about Qatar visa types.
What types of visas for Qatar are there?
Generally, we can categorize Qatar visa types into 3 groups:
- Type C
- Type D
- Transit visa
Type C is consist of the followings:
- Qatar tourist visa
- Qatar Business visa and Fair Visits
- Qatar Visa for Visit to Family, Relatives, and Friends
- Qatar Visa for Cultural, Sports Activities and Participation to Conferences
- Qatar Visa for Short-term Education and Traineeship
- Qatar e visa
Depending on the purpose of the visit, requirements can differ. It is advisable to identify the visa type you want and then look for it. To get more specific information we recommend you to use visa wizard. It will save you tons of time. Type C visas are for the short term not exceeding 90 days. Although business visas are divided into 3 groups investor visa, Qatar business visa, and 72-hour business visa. Documents for application for Qatar visa remain similar, requiring a passport with the validity of 6 months from the date of arrival in Qatar, financial proof, and other documents indicating reasons for the applicant’s visit. Type D visa is long term visa that is comprised of an investor visa, Qatar family visa, and education residence visa. For work-related purposes, nationals of some countries (Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Philippines) can take advantage of the Qatar visa center. All the work-related procedures were relieved thanks to the Qatar visa center.
Supposedly you want to travel to Qatar. You have all these questions in mind regarding bureaucratic procedures. The first thing you should do is to check whether the nationals of your country are visa exempted. You might be wondering about the application for Qatar visa. If you can take advantage of a visa waiver which citizens of visa-free countries are entitled to, all you need to do is to present a copy of your passport (with a minimum validity of six months) and details of your return (or onward) travel to the airport. If you want to learn how much is the Qatar visa fee. In this case, you will not need to pay for a visa. If you are wary of such procedures you can contact third parties to get Qatar visa services.
Qatar e-visa
Let's say you can benefit neither from a visa on arrival nor a visa waiver. Then you can apply for a Qatar e visa. To answer how to get Qatar visa, you need to apply the required documents that are stated below to here:
1. Passport
- That should be valid for at least 6 months further from the date of your departure from Qatar
- Should bear the signature of the holder
- Has been valid for less than 10 years
- Possess one or two “visa pages” that are free
- Has undamaged pictures that are attached to it
2. Photo
- Should be new or not older than 6 months
- A photo that 70-80% of it (32-26 mm) covers the frontal view of the face
- With uniform at white background
- Facial features should be clear and the view should not be disrupted by glasses frame, hair
- 3x4 size
3. Travel Itinerary
- Should attain verified hotel booking
- Should attain ticket that confirms return
4. If accompanying person ( family member, friend) stay with you:
- Invitation letter that confirms authority (Letter of authority)
- Their Qatar ID and residence visas
- Copy of the first page of their passports
- Copy of rental contract of their home
5. Upon arrival in Qatar you must submit also:
- Your printed Qatar e visa
- Travel itinerary
All the documents should be uploaded to the online E-visa platform. If you asking yourself how much is Qatar visa fee, in this case, it will be 100 QAR (about 27 USD) for all nationals.
Qatar tourist visa
Visitors who plan to visit Qatar can get a Qatar tourist visa after completing easy steps. Such visas can be obtained through employers, hotels, or Qatar Airways, upon one's nationality and the requirements of each. The easiest way is through Qatar airways or Qatar airways and hotels. If you do not know how to check Qatar visa and want to get a visa through Qatar airways you need to Fill out the required information Here. After the application is accepted pay fees and print the visa.
To get a visa via Qatar Airways and Hotels, download and fill in the paper form here, then submit it through the hotel manager or his representative then affix the following documents:
- Copy of passport of visitor that has validity for 6 months
- Copy of valid passport and the document that permits residency of the sponsor
- Documents describing sponsorship
- Pay required fees
Qatar transit visa
After a ticket is issued, click the link here to apply for the transit visa. Make sure that the scanned copy of your passport is clear, then upload it. There is another way to do that, visit any Qatar Airways ticket office to issue your visa application. This visa grants you a stay in Qatar between 5 hours to a maximum of 96 hours.
Qatar visa fees
Visa fees can differ according to the type of visa. To give you more insight on that let's look at them separately. First, we start with a tourist visa. Applicable fees are as follows:
- Visa issuance: QR 100 for applying the service
- For each accompanier: QR 50
- Fine for staying more than you are supposed to (per day): QR 200
If you are a citizen of visa exempted country you can benefit from a visa waiver free of charge. Just look for your countries waiver validity as they are categorized into two groups:
1. From the date of issuance to 180 days (Non-extendable). Multiple entrances are allowed and the maximum stay is 90 days
2. From the date of issuance to 30 days (Extendable for 30 additional days). Multiple entrances are allowed and the maximum stay is 30 days
For e visa, Qatar visa requirements state a fee (QR 100) by credit card. For a Qatar business visa, a fee (QR 200) is to be paid for each month.
An applicant should guarantee a minimum salary of QR 10 000 for a Qatar family visa and sponsoring his family. Those who have a minimum salary of QR 7 000 with free accommodation can apply as well (if the employer provides the accommodation). In case your salary is more than QR 10 000 you will be required a tenancy contract attested by a municipality. If your salary ranges between QR 7 000 and QR 10 000 then your family accommodation should be provided by an employer. You will have to pay QR 500 if you want to leave the country without changing your visa. All these can make you feel overwhelmed, therefore we would suggest you seek Qatar visa services as such services save time and make the procedures a lot easier. If you wonder how to check Qatar visa you can do it here.
