Qatar Visa Requirements – Everything You Need To Know Before Applying
Qatar is one of the lesser known destinations offering a blend of hot deserts and cool beaches, dotted with a number of sand dunes. In an effort to open the country doors for more and more visitors, the entire visa policy of Qatar has been simplified in recent years. Qatar recently allowed visa-free entry for nationals of more than 80 countries. The country has also started an e-Visa platform in order to introduce a hassle-free process. Here is all you need to know about visa Requirements for Qatar in detail –
Which countries do not need a visa to enter Qatar?
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Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are allowed to enter Qatar without a visa and can use National ID cards for the procedure. These countries are – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
But, keep in mind that the citizens of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been prohibited by their respective governments from traveling to Qatar.
Which countries can apply for a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar?
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In August 2017, nationals of 80+ countries were granted permission to enter Qatar without a visa. This visa-free entry into Qatar has been divided into 2 parts
- There are 37 countries that can get a visa waiver on arrival and is valid for 180 days. These nationals are allowed to stay up to 90 days in Qatar, during a single trip or on multiple trips as well.
- There are 46 countries allowed to obtain a visa waiver on arrival that is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. It allows you to stay up to 30 days in Qatar, during a single trip or on multiple trips and it can also be extended for 30 more days.
Let’s check the list of countries that are granted a visa waiver for up to 180 days –
Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
Let’s check the list of countries that are granted an extendable visa waiver for up to 30 days –
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Georgia, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Maldives, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, and Venezuela.
Who else can enter Qatar without a visa?
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Other than the countries mentioned above, the Pakistani nationals and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus nationals are allowed to visit Qatar visa-free for up to 30 days if –
- They have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months.
- They have a confirmed return ticket.
- They have booked accommodation in advance for the duration of an entire stay.
- They have a valid credit card.
- In the case of Pakistani nationals – If they are coming from Pakistan directly, then they need a certificate of vaccination against polio.
This visa may be extended for 30 more days only after confirming the return ticket.
Which countries are offered visa-on-arrival in Qatar?
There are only a handful of countries that are eligible for Qatar tourist visa on arrival. These are – Iran, Macau, and Taiwan.
Which countries require a visa to enter Qatar?
If your country is not mentioned in any of the above lists, you will have to apply for a visa in advance. The country of Qatar grants online tourist visa that allows a stay of up to 30 days.
Which countries are eligible for Qatar-Oman Joint Tourist Visa while visiting Qatar?
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Qatar also offers a joint tourist visa with Oman that is issued upon arrival and is valid for 30 days. Allowing multiple entries to both the countries, this visa can also be extended for 30 more days by paying an additional fee. The eligible countries are
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and Vatican City.
Which countries can obtain Electronic Travel Authorisation while visiting Qatar?
If a traveler from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America or the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council has valid residence permits or visas, then he/she can apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). It is usually valid for 30 days and can be extended for 30 more days online.
What are the requirements for a Qatar Electronic Travel Authorization?
When you are a citizen of one of the countries eligible for ETA, you will have to submit one or more of the documents –
- Residence proof
- Proof of valid visa according to the residential status
- Proof of valid visitor visa from any of the countries including Australia, Canada, GCC, New Zealand, Schengen countries, USA or UK.
How to apply for a Qatar tourist visa?
There are 2 ways to apply for Qatar tourist visa –
- You can apply through Qatar visa service Or If you are traveling with Qatar Airways, you can apply for a visa through the official website of the airline.
- It is necessary to apply for a visa at least 4 days in advance prior to travel. But, it is recommended to proceed with your visa application as early as possible.
What are Qatar visit visa requirements?
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If you are wondering ‘what are the documents required for Qatar visa?’, then here is the list –
It is necessary to provide a machine-readable passport with a validity of a minimum of 6 months after the date of entry into Qatar. You will also need to provide clear, colored electronic scans of the following documents –
- A passport sized photograph.
- Passport information bio page or picture page
- Details of airline reservation (If traveling by Qatar Airways, you do not need to submit this information.)
- Details of accommodation.
Nationals of some countries may have to attach following documents in some cases –
- Documents detailing investments of 8,000 USD or more.
- Income tax papers explaining an annual gross income of 8,000 USD or more.
- Proof of travel to any of the following countries in the last 5 years – Qatar, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Schengen countries, USA or UK.
How much is the Qatar visa Fee?
Qatar visit visa price for a tourist visa is 27.78 USD excluding service fee of USD 14.
For payment, you can use only Visa/MasterCard debit or credit card. All visa fees are non-refundable even if the application is not approved.
Keep in mind that the provided information is applicable for Qatar tourist visa only and not for other types of visas. It is strongly recommended to check the official websites for updated information before applying for a visa.
Written By – DHRUVALAKSHMI PAITHANKAR, Source – TripHobo.