Visa to Qatar: do you need a visa to enter the country, features of a transit visa, documents and cost of registration

When is a Qatar visa not required?

This is what a visa to Qatar looks like.
When going to the island to relax, you do not need to complete the paperwork if your stay in the country does not exceed 1 month. An entry permit is issued at the airport upon arrival.

To carry out such a procedure, you must take with you a passport that allows you to travel abroad, the validity of which will not expire within 6 months from the date of entry into the state. Also, customs representatives are shown a return ticket or a ticket to the country where you are traveling through Qatar.

To obtain a visa upon arrival, in addition to your passport and tickets, you also need:

confirm your hotel reservation for the entire period of your stay on the island;
provide proof of solvency (the tourist must have at least one and a half thousand dollars with him).

It is important to know! Material resources do not have to be on hand; it is acceptable to provide the balance on a bank card.

Upon arrival, each tourist pays a visa fee of $28. A visa document issued in this way will be valid for 30 days.

A Qatar visa can be obtained at the consular section of the embassy or at visa centers.

Work visa to Doha

And this is a photo of the capital of Qatar (Doha):

Doha is a city of particular interest to qualified specialists from all countries, including residents of the Russian Federation . For citizens of the Russian Federation it is possible to obtain a work visa.

Official employment in the state of Qatar is possible only with a work visa. To register it and subsequently obtain a residence permit, Russian citizens should find an employer and conclude an employment contract with him. This agreement must be approved by the Minister of Labor of Qatar and reflect the conditions of employment - the rights and obligations of the parties, the amount of wages.

Candidates for employment should know that within 6 months after the execution of the employment contract, it is impossible to change the employer, and during the period of obtaining a residence permit it will not be possible to leave the country. These conditions must be specified in the contract.

Watch the video where a Russian girl talks about working in Qatar:

To obtain a work visa at the Embassy you must submit the following package of documents:

international passport (validity must exceed 6 months from the date of application);
photo 3.4x4.5 – 4 pcs.;
questionnaire – 3 copies. (filled in Latin or Arabic letters);
education document;
official letter from the employer (invitation);
work permit (original);
salary and vacancy information;
confirmation of availability of funds.

The candidate is required to undergo an interview, submit a medical certificate and a number of other documents (as required). The validity period of a work visa to Qatar corresponds to the validity period of the employment contract.

Types of work visas

Temporary visa to Qatar. This type requires confirmation of the applicant’s data from the Qatar Migration Department. The application is subject to consideration within 15 days. If the answer is positive, a residence permit is issued for a period of up to 1 year, which can subsequently be extended. The employer must be a citizen of Qatar.
Long-term. It is issued under the same conditions as a temporary one, but allows the applicant to obtain a residence permit for a period of more than 1 year, while changing the employer for 1-3 years. The consular fee will be $33.

The picture shows a work visa to Qatar:

How to get a transit visa?

A Qatari transit visa must be obtained in advance.
Do I need a visa to Qatar during transit? Obtaining this type of document has recently become easier. If a citizen of the Russian Federation travels through Qatar, he no longer needs to complete a bunch of documentation.

To ensure that a transit visa to Qatar does not become a problem for Russians, it is mandatory to request a document (a week before the planned departure).

If the transfer period lasts for 72 hours, airport staff will issue a transit visa completely free of charge.

A transit visa is issued online. First you need to make a photocopy of your foreign passport, and also scan your tickets along a clearly planned route. After submitting documents, you must wait for a decision from the Qatari government.

After receiving a satisfactory response, the person will receive confirmation of permission to apply for a visa by email. The document is printed and sent on a journey.

Qatar: a monthly visa can be obtained at Doha airport upon arrival

For free entry, foreign guests must have:

a foreign passport valid for at least six months on the date of arrival in the Islamic state;
return ticket.

Upon arrival, “visa-free” foreigners are given a free stamp on their “foreign border”. It certifies that the traveler is allowed to stay in the emirate for 1 month from the date of arrival (up to 30 days). In this case, the visitor has the opportunity to leave and enter using the same stamp during a 30-day “visa-free” period. That is, the stamp is not intended for single entry, but for multiple entry/exit to/from Qatar.

Visa-free stay can be extended for an additional 30 days. To do this, you need to contact the Immigration Department. As for the general limit for staying in Qatar, it has not yet been established.

Separately, it is worth answering the question of whether a visa is needed for transit through a Muslim state. Now that Russians can travel to Qatar on a visa-free basis, a transit visa is not required. That is, while waiting for a transfer to the flight to the destination, the tourist has the right to freely enter the city. You just need to show your international passport and ticket from the emirate to the destination country at the border checkpoint.

Russian citizens will need a visa to Qatar in the following cases:

long stay;
employment;
admission to study.

Thus, a significant number of people entering an Arab state may need an entry document. So let's figure out how to get a visa to Qatar.

There are visas for visiting Qatar:

tourist (for Russians with the introduction of visa-free travel they are not needed);
private;
workers;
educational.

They can be issued either upon arrival at Doha airport or at the embassy of a Middle Eastern country in Moscow.

Visas on arrival

If you decide to open a visa at the border, be sure to obtain the consent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Islamic state in advance (in writing). In addition, the host (sponsor or guarantor) must notify the Qatari Ministry of Internal Affairs in advance (at least 48 hours) about your upcoming visit and provide key information about you:

flight number;
day and time of arrival;
passport details;
religion

Depending on the purpose of your tour, a Qatari legal entity or individual can become a sponsor/guarantor:

hotel;
travel agency registered in Qatar;
air carrier;
citizen of the Emirate (your relative, friend, business partner);
employer (in this case, preliminary confirmation of the sponsor and his citizenship, as well as your type of work activity, is required from the Qatar Immigration Department);
government agency.

The cost of entry paper upon arrival is $70. To register, you must present:

International passport valid for plus six months at the time of arrival.
Fax consent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Round trip air tickets.
Hotel reservation or invitation from a sponsor/guarantor.
Material guarantees (if necessary).

How to get a tourist visa to Qatar?

In order not to worry about permission for a long-term visa, it should be issued at the Moscow consulate.
If you need to travel to the island for more than 30 days, then you will need a long-term visa to Qatar. The document allows you to stay in Qatar for the number of days indicated in the hotel or hostel reservation.

The option for obtaining a long-term visa to Qatar for Russians is slightly different from the transit option. To do this, the tourist independently goes to the consulate, which is located in the capital of the Russian Federation, and submits the necessary documents. You must have with you:

A foreign passport allowing travel abroad, the validity of which will not expire after 6 months from the date of application to the consulate.
3 photographs, their size is 3.5 by 4.5 cm. The photographs are used in both color and black and white.
3 copies of written questionnaires. The data is entered in English or Arabic letters, and each form must be signed by the applicant.
Certificate confirming hotel reservation, invitation of sponsors or persons living in Qatar.

When contacting the consulate, employees may require confirmation of the tourist’s financial capabilities. The traveler has the right to provide cash, credit card or bank statement.

It is important to know! Qatar is one of the few Gulf states that do not prevent tourists who have previously visited Israel or citizens of this state from entering the monarchy.

Required documents for visa application

To obtain a permit to stay at the airport you need to have with you:

The passport must be issued a year earlier and valid for at least six months
Return plane ticket.
Permission provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Qatar to you by fax.
An invitation from relatives or friends, or a paid hotel room.
A document from the bank confirming the availability of the necessary funds in the foreign guest’s accounts.
A foreign passport issued a year earlier and valid for at least six months.

To obtain a tourist visa at the Qatar Consulate:

International passport.
Photo size 35 mm by 45 mm, can be color or black and white.
Completed forms in triplicate in English or Arabic.
You need a document from the hotel confirming payment for the duration of the foreign guest’s stay in the country.
A certificate from the bank confirming that any account has $2,000 active for withdrawal.

Important! The visa will be issued within a month; you can stay on the territory of this state for as long as the hotel has been paid for.

To obtain a child entry permit you must:

Birth certificate.
Permission from one parent, the one who is not traveling with the child. If a child is traveling with a grandparent, permission is required from both parents, and this document must be notarized.
Children under 16 years of age are issued a mother's visa. If you are traveling with your father, then apply for your father’s visa.

Application for a visa to Qatar

Filling out the form does not differ from the forms of other countries when crossing the border. But there are several important points to consider when filling out the form.

In the application form, it is necessary to ensure that the traveler’s first and last name matches the data indicated in the international passport. The form indicates the applicant's place and date of birth. Religion is indicated. A few more details for the questionnaire:

the institution where the applicant works and what position he holds;
enter information about the tourist’s previous visits to Qatar and indicate their date;
indicate the expected date of entry and return from the country, as well as the flight number.

Another important point is the purpose of visiting the island.

Qatar visa application form (209 Downloads)

Sample form for a visa to Qatar

An example of filling out an application form for a visa to Qatar.

Filling out the “Entry Visa Application Form” according to the following points:

Surname - Last name as in the international passport.
Given Name(s) - Name as in the passport.
Nationality - Citizenship, you can write RUSSIA or RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
Passport No. — Passport number.
Date of Issue - Date of issue of the passport.
Date of Expiry - Expiration date of the passport.
Date & Place of Birth - Date and place of birth, you can specify the name of the country or city.
Profession - Profession.
Previous Nationality - Previous citizenship, for those born in the USSR you can indicate USSR.
Marital Status - Marital status: MARRIED (married) or SINGLE (single).
Purpose of Visa - Purpose of the visit: Official - Business, official visit; Business - Business; Tourist - Tourism; Residents of GCC countries - Residents of the GCC countries; Accompanying GCC nationals - Accompanying GCC citizens; Transit - Transit; Reissuing of Visa Number - Reissue of a visa, you should enter the number of the visa to be reissued; Visit - Another purpose of the visit.
You should choose one of the following three items: Tourist Common (period one monthe) State of Qatar & Sultanate of Oman - Tourist visa on arrival for 1 month to Qatar and Oman; Single entry (Duration of stay) - Single entry, enter the duration of stay; Multiple (Duration of each stay) — Multiple, enter the duration of each stay.
Visa Validity - Visa validity: Three months - 3 months; Six months - 6 months; One year - 1 year; Two years - 2 years; Three years - 3 years; Five years - 5 years; Ten years - 10 years.
Dependants Included in the Passport - Children included in the passport. If not, you can leave the field blank.
Present Address & Telephone - Residential address and telephone number.
Destination's Address - Address of residence in Qatar, you can enter the hotel address.
Applicants Signature, Date - Signature and date.

Sample of filling out an application form for a visa to Qatar (207 Downloads)

Child visa

Obtaining a visa to Qatar for a child is easy.
The rules for children when traveling to Doha do not differ from issuing a regular entry document.

A child is also given a permit at the airport if his photo is pasted into the parents’ passport (up to 14 years old). After receiving an official certificate of citizenship, children are issued visas, as for adults.

When traveling without parents or with one other person, you must have with you permission for the child to leave, certified by a notary.

Before the trip

Copies of documents

We recommend making copies of your passports before departure.

Arrival at the airport

Due to frequent difficulties on roads and increased load at airports, we recommend leaving home in advance and arriving at flight check-in at least three hours before departure.

Passport control

To cross the border, you must have the following documents with you: passport, printout of an electronic air ticket, medical insurance policy, voucher for hotel accommodation.

If minor children (under 18 years of age) go on a trip without parents or with one of the parents, then it is necessary to have a notarized permission from the parents, issued in the name of the person accompanying the child (required at passport control when leaving Russia). If a child is traveling with one of the parents, we strongly recommend that you have similar permission from the other parent, as well as an original or notarized copy of the birth certificate.

We remind you that the tour operator is not responsible if the Border Control Service does not release the child abroad due to lack of permission from the parents, or if the tourist’s passport is on the stop list at the request of the Bailiff Service.

customs control

There are two corridors in the airport customs control zone: “red” and “green”. Citizens who declare goods and sums of money in writing go through the “red” one, and those who do not carry anything that needs to be declared go through the “green” one.

Traveler's checks, regardless of the amount, and securities are subject to mandatory written declaration. Precious stones and metals in any form and condition. It is necessary to include in a written declaration items the circulation of which is restricted by law (weapons, drugs, cultural property, etc.).

Export of currency

Currently, the following procedure has been established for the export of cash foreign currency from the Russian Federation:

when exporting an amount not exceeding 10,000 €, a customs declaration is not required to be submitted to the customs authorities,
When exporting an amount equal to or exceeding 10,000 €, a written customs declaration (in 2 copies) indicating the amount of exported currency is required to be provided to the customs authorities.

Baggage

Different airlines have different baggage allowances. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you check this information with the carrier company that will be operating your flight before traveling in order to avoid possible problems when checking in for the flight and boarding the plane.