Visa policy of Qatar
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Visitors to Qatar must obtain a visa, unless if they are citizens of one of the GCC countries or if they are citizens of one of the countries eligible for a visa waiver on arrival.
Visa policy map
Freedom of movement
Citizens of the following Gulf Cooperation Council countries enjoy freedom of movement in Qatar. They do not require a visa under any circumstances, and are permitted to use a national ID card in lieu of a passport to enter Qatar:[1][2]
Visa exemption (free visa on arrival)
Ordinary passports
Citizens of the following countries are automatically granted a free visa upon arrival for stays up to the duration listed below. They must hold passports valid for at least six months from the date of arrival, as well as a return or onward ticket (unless if holding a valid visa issued by Oman). However, some nationalities must meet additional criteria in order to be granted the visa waiver:[1][2][3]
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90 days within any 180 days
30 days* |
* - May apply to extend their stay for another 30 days.[2]
1 - Must present a confirmed hotel reservation in one of the designated VOA hotels booked through Discover Qatar for the period of stay.[5]
2 - Must present a polio vaccination certificate.[2]
Non-ordinary passports
Holders of diplomatic or official / service category passports of the following countries do not require a visa for 30 days (unless otherwise stated) :[2]
D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 90 days
Future changes
Qatar has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:
| Country | Passports | Agreement signed on |
|---|---|---|
 Philippines[6]
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Diplomatic, service | 22 April 2024 |
 Ghana[7]
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Diplomatic, service | March 2022 |
 Dominican Republic[8]
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Diplomatic, official, service | January 2022 |
 Nepal[9]
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Diplomatic, service | October 2018 |
 Ethiopia[10]
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Diplomatic, service | November 2017 |
Visa on arrival
Nationals of the following countries can obtain a visa on arrival. The fee is QR 100, and they must hold passports valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival, as well as a return or onward ticket.[1]
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30 days* |
* - Includes French Guiana and Falkland Islands.
1 - Must present a confirmed hotel reservation in one of the designated VOA hotels booked through Discover Qatar for the period of stay.[5]
2 - Must present either a credit card or a debit card with a balance of at least 1000 USD.[2]
3 - If entering Qatar for tourism, a credit card or at least QAR 5000 in cash must be presented. If entering Qatar for business, an invitation letter from a company certified by the Qatari government must be presented.[2]
4 - Qatar-Oman Joint on-Arrival Tourist.
Transit
Regardless of nationality, travelers who are in transit through Hamad International Airport do not require a visa if they depart within 24 hours.[2]
On 26 September 2016, the Ministry of the Interior announced the issuance of free transit visas[11] for passengers of any nationality transiting through Hamad International Airport.
Only travellers travelling on Qatar Airways, with layovers between 5 and 96 hours are eligible.[12][1]
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving to Qatar were from the following countries of nationality:[13][14][15]
| Country | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
 India |
333,708 | 340,104 | 375,910 |
 United Kingdom |
120,495 | 132,301 | 135,645 |
 United States |
101,144 | 102,774 | 93,174 |
 Pakistan |
49,510 | 49,012 | 86,670 |
 China |
45,627 | — | — |
 Germany |
44,440 | — | — |
 Egypt |
43,614 | 81,283 | 92,036 |
 Australia |
42,765 | — | — |
 France |
42,026 | — | — |
 Italy |
37,436 | — | — |
 Saudi Arabia |
— | 949,145 | 855,555 |
 Bahrain |
— | 135,202 | 132,913 |
 United Arab Emirates |
— | 134,578 | 117,575 |
 Oman |
— | 98,617 | 102,332 |
 Kuwait |
— | 93,115 | 91,843 |
| Total | 860,765 | 2,116,131 | 2,083,653 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Qatar entry rules". Qatar Tourism. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Visa policy of Qatar".
- ^ "Qatar Visas".
- ^ a b "VISA ON ARRIVAL HOTELS".
- ^ "Philippines, Qatar ink 9 bilateral agreements".
- ^ "The Republic of Ghana signs visa waiver agreement with Qatar". 6 March 2022.
- ^ "Qatar, Dominican Republic hold round of political consultations". 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Qatar-Nepal talks focus on enhancing ties". 30 October 2018.
- ^ "Qatar, Ethiopia sign accords to cement bilateral relations". 15 November 2017.
- ^ QatarVisa, Checks. "How to Get Qatar Transit Visa?". QatarVisachecks. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "New Transit Rules Make Visiting Qatar Easier".
- ^ Annual Tourism Performance Report 2015
- ^ "2016 Annual Tourism Performance Report" (PDF).
- ^ | title=2017 Annual Tourism Performance Report
External links
- Visa policy of Qatar, Ministry of Interior