Qatar: Free Visa On Arrival For Travellers From Over 95 Countries; Complete Guide

You might be aware that, citizens of over 95 countries are eligible for visa-free entry into the State of Qatar. The country began visa-free access in August 2017, however it has been halted for the past two years owing to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Qatar has now resumed its Visa On Arrival (VOA) service, and citizens from more than 95 countries are now eligible for a Free Qatar Visa On Arrival.

However, only those who have received the vaccines approved by Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health will be granted visa waivers upon arrival.

​​​Approved Vaccines​

• Pfizer / BioNTech (Comirnaty)
• Moderna (SpikeVax)
• ​AstraZeneca (Covishield / Oxford / Vaxzevria)
• Jansen / Johnson & Johnson (only one dose)​

Moreover, travellers must also meet additional eligibility requirements such as citizenship, a valid passport for at least six months, return air tickets, hotel reservations, and credit/debit cards (for some nationalities). They should also apply for pre-travel authorization on the Registration for travellers entering Qatar: (ehteraz.gov.qa).

Qatar Visa On Arrival (VOA)

1. List of Countries Eligible For Qatar Visa On Arrival (VOA)
   1. Countries Eligible For 90 Days Visa
   2. Countries Eligible For 30 Days Visa
   3. Visa Exemption For Gulf Countries
2. Qatar Visa On Arrival Requirements
3. Visa On Arrival Requirements For India, Pakistan, and Iran
4. Documents Checklist For Qatar Visa On Arrival
5. Electronic Travel Authorisation
6. Qatar Visa On Arrival Fee
7. Qatar Visa On Arrival Extension

List of Countries Eligible For Qatar Visa On Arrival (VOA)

Travellers from eligible countries do not need to make any prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar by producing a valid passport with at least six months validity and a confirmed onward or return ticket. Those who intend to stay in Qatar must hold a valid hotel booking for the duration of the stay.

1. Countries Eligible For 90 Days Visa

The waiver will be valid for 180 days from the date of issuance for nationals of the countries listed below and permit its holder to spend up to 90 days in Qatar, either on a single trip or on multiple journeys.

2. Countries Eligible For 30 Days Visa

For nationals of the countries/regions listed below, the waiver will be valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and entitle its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. This waiver may be extended for a further 30 days.

3. Visa Exemption For Gulf Countries

In addition to the nations listed above, citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates do not need a visa to enter Qatar.

Qatar Visa On Arrival Requirements

Travellers from countries qualified for the Qatar visa on arrival can enter Qatar visa-free and obtain a visa waiver on arrival if they fulfil the following criteria:

• The passenger must be a citizen of an eligible country.
• Must present a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months
• Must possess a confirmed onward or return ticket.
• Passengers intending to stay in Qatar must hold a valid hotel booking for the duration of the stay.
• Passengers from Pakistan and India might also require:
  • proof of fund or a credit card to be eligible for the Qatar visa on arrival. Make sure to carry an International Debit/Credit Card, under your name, with a minimum balance of QAR 5000.
  • a bank statement from the last three months might also be required to prove that the balance is equivalent to QAR 5000.

Please keep in mind that, passengers from India, Pakistan and Iran will be subject to additional requirements in order to obtain a Qatar visa on arrival.

Visa On Arrival Requirements For India, Pakistan, and Iran

Recently, Qatar has announced changes to the requirements for obtaining a Visa On Arrival (VOA) for nationals of India, Pakistan, and Iran, beginning April 14, 2022.

According to the ministry’s announcement, nationals of India, Pakistan, and Iran can obtain a free tourist visa upon arrival for the duration of a Confirmed Hotel Reservation in one of the country’s hotels available through the Discover Qatar Website only.

Similar to the 51 countries listed above, nationals of India, Pakistan and Iran can enter Qatar visa-free and spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during single or multiple trips, with an option to extend for another 30 days, if the following terms and conditions are met:

• A passport must be valid for at least 6 months
• Return ticket must be confirmed
• The arriving passenger must possess a minimum cash amount of USD 1400 or a valid credit card, the same applied for an entire family
• Hotel quarantine booking for the number of days advised based on the latest travel advisory if arriving from India
• Hotel bookings made on Discover Qatar for the duration of the stay
• Must be fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health and have completed a period of 14 days after the last dose
• Must have a certificate confirming negative PCR test completed during the 72 hours from the time of arrival
• Must have an electronic registration completed on the Ehteraz platform (www.ehteraz.gov.qa) to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Public Health before travelling

Note: Passengers who have not received both doses of the vaccine 14 days prior to arrival will not be allowed to enter the State of Qatar.

Documents Checklist For Qatar Visa On Arrival

• Passport
• Confirm Return Flight Tickets
• Vaccination Certificate ***
• Ehteraz Approval
• Negative RT-PCR Test Report
• Serology antibody test results (for conditional vaccines)***
• Hotel Booking for quarantine through Discover Qatar (one day quarantine if from Red Health Measure country)
• Hotel Booking for the duration of stay (for 29 days if return ticket is after 29 days)
• Acknowledgment & Undertaking Form (Filled and signed)
• Ehteraz mobile app (installed on phone)
• International debit card/credit card under visitor’s name (3 months bank statements also needed for debit card). Cash is not acceptable nowadays.

Although Qatari officials do not require travel/health insurance in order to get a visa on arrival, some airlines do require insurance during check-in. We recommend that you check with your airline to see if this is a necessity. It is important to note that insurance is an official need for a family visit visa.

*** Serology Antibody test with a positive result is needed if you have taken a “conditionally approved” vaccine (Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V or Covaxin).

Electronic Travel Authorisation

Individuals who are not eligible for visa-free entry, but who hold a valid residence permit or visit visa to either Schengen countries, Australia, Canada, UK, USA or New Zealand, can obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) free of charge* by completing an online application prior to travelling.

The form is easy to fill in, you will be asked to provide:

• Proof of accommodation in Qatar (e.g. hotel booking, or your host’s address)
• Details of your return (or onward) travel
• A copy of your passport (with a minimum validity of six months)
• A copy of your residence permit or visa to any one of the eligible countries stated above (with a minimum validity of 30 days).

Apply for an ETA here

Qatar Visa On Arrival Fee

The Qatar visa on arrival is completely free of charge for all visa-eligible travellers. Extending or renewing a Qatar visa on arrival is also free of charge.

Qatar Visa On Arrival Extension

Travellers from countries eligible for a 30-day visa can extend their Qatar visa on arrival for an extra 30 days. Visa extensions can be obtained online on the Ministry of Interior portal by completing the processes outlined below:

• Visit the Ministry of Interior (MOI) website.
• Fill in all the details including, “Visa Number” (which can be found on the sticker attached to your passport), “Passport Number”, and “Nationality”.
• Enter the Captcha displayed on the screen, accurately.
• Click on ‘Extend’.

Your Qatar visa on arrival has been extended for another 30 days.

This is the comprehensive guide for Qatar’s Visa on Arrival; we did our best to cover every aspect, but if we missed anything or if you have any questions about Qatar’s Visa on Arrival, please leave a comment below.