Do you want to travel to Qatar without a visa? As part of its tourism initiatives, visa-free entry to Qatar allows nationals of 100 countries to visit the state. So, now you can travel to Qatar with a visa waiver programme and explore its laid-back lifestyle, unique culture and pristine beaches.
Scroll down to learn more about eligibility, process and requirements.
Visa Policy of Qatar
A Qatar visa grants an individual permission to enter the state for a specified time. Visa types in Qatar include short-stay and long-stay visas. If you want to travel to Qatar for tourism or business-related purposes, Qatar allows nationals of 100 countries to enter without a visa.
Here are four categories under visa-free entry to Qatar:
- Visa waiver
- Free visa on arrival
- Paid visa on arrival
- Visa exemption
1. Visa Waiver Programme
The visa waiver programme allows tourists and business professionals to enter and stay in Qatar without a visa. The period of stay varies from 30 to 180 days depending on the nationality. Learn about the eligible countries and stay durations to avoid breaching laws.
Eligible Countries
Here are the countries eligible for visa waiver:
30-Day Visa Waiver
Citizens of 48 countries can travel to Qatar without prior visa issuance. They can stay for 30 days in Qatar and may apply for a 30-day visa waiver extension. The list of these countries is tabulated below:
| Andorra | Australia | Azerbaijan | Belarus | Bolivia | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Brazil | Brunei | Canada | Chile | China | Colombia |
| Costa Rica | Cuba | Ecuador | Falkland Islands | French Guiana | Georgia |
| Guyana | Hong Kong | Indonesia | Ireland | Mexico | Japan |
| Kazakhstan | Lebanon | Macau | Macedonia | Maldives | Moldova |
| Monaco | New Zealand | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Russia |
| Rwanda | San Marino | Singapore | South Africa | South Korea | Suriname |
| United Kingdom | United States | Uruguay | Uzbekistan | Vatican City | Venezuela |
180-Day Visa Waiver
The second category allows nationals of some countries to apply for a 180-day visa waiver on arrival. Individuals can re-enter Qatar within the 180-day window, however, their one-time stay must be 90 days or lower. Here is the list of countries eligible for this waiver:
| Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | 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 | Turkey | Ukraine |
Process
Nationals under the visa waiver programme can visit Qatar without a visa. Upon arrival in Qatar, complete the visa waiver formalities at the Qatar airport. There are two important requirements listed below:
- A three-month valid passport
- A confirmed return ticket
2. Free Visa on Arrival – Mandated Hotel Requirement
Nationals of some countries can enter Qatar visa-free. However, they must obtain a free visa stamp on their passports at the Qatar airport. These include Pakistan, India and Thailand. The tourist visa duration for these countries is 30 days and an individual may also apply for a 30-day extension.
Booking a hotel from the Discover Qatar VOA website is mandatory before travelling. Here is how to obtain a free visa on arrival:
Documents
- A valid passport for six months.
- A return air ticket.
- A polio vaccination certificate (for Pakistani citizens).
- Health insurance from one of the Qatar Ministry of Public Health registered companies.
- Any other documents such as a three-month bank statement.
Process
- Go to the immigration counter at the Qatar airport.
- Present the documents and get a visa stamp on your passport.
3. Paid Visa on Arrival
Citizens of some countries can visit Qatar without an advance visa application. However, they need to obtain an A1 tourist visa at the Qatar airport for QAR 100. Here is the list of these countries:
- Iran (must have a hotel booking from the Discover Qatar VOA website)
- Macao
- Mauritius
- Montenegro
- Taiwan
Process
- Visit the immigration counter at the airport.
- Present the documents, pay the fees and get a visa stamp on your passport.
Learn about the Doha International Airport before travelling here.
4. Visa Exempt Countries
Citizens of GCC countries are visa-exempt. Here is the list of these countries:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
Non-Eligible Countries
If you fall in this category, you can easily apply for an E-visa using the Hayya platform or by visiting the Qatar embassy in your country.
| Afghanistan | Åland Islands | Albania | Algeria | American Samoa | Angola |
| Anguilla | Antarctica | Aruba | Bangladesh | Barbados | Belarus |
| Belize | Benin | Bermuda | Bhutan | Bonaire | Sint Eustatius and Saba |
| Botswana | Bouvet Island | British Indian Ocean Territory | Burkina Faso | Burundi | Cabo Verde |
| Cambodia | Cameroon | Cayman Islands | Central African Republic | Chad | Christmas Island |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | Comoros | Congo | Congo (the Democratic Republic of Congo) | Cook Islands | Côte d’Ivoire |
| Curaçao | Djibouti | Dominica | Egypt | El Salvador | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Faroe Islands (the) | Fiji | French Guiana |
| French Polynesia | French Southern Territories | Gabon | Gambia | Ghana | Gibraltar |
| Greenland | Grenada | Guadeloupe | Guam | Guatemala | Guernsey |
| Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Haiti | Heard Island and McDonald Islands | Holy See (the) | Honduras |
| Iraq | Isle of Man | Jamaica | Jersey | Jordan | Kenya |
| Kiribati | Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) | Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Lesotho | Liberia |
| Libya | Madagascar | Malawi | Mali | Marshall Islands | Martinique |
| Mauritania | Mayotte | Micronesia (Federated States of) | Mongolia | Montserrat | Morocco |
| Mozambique | Myanmar | Namibia | Nauru | Nepal | New Caledonia |
| Nicaragua | Niger | Nigeria | Niue | Norfolk Island | Northern Mariana Islands |
| Palau | Palestine | Papua New Guinea | Philippines | Pitcairn | Puerto Rico |
| Réunion | Saint Barthélemy | Saint Helena | Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia |
| Saint Martin (French part) | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa | Sao Tome and Principe | Senegal |
| Sierra Leone | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | Solomon Islands | Somalia | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | South Sudan |
| Sri Lanka | Sudan | Svalbard and Jan Mayen | Swaziland | Syrian Arab Republic | Tajikistan |
| Tanzania | United Republic of Tanzania | Timor-Leste | Togo | Tokelau | Tonga |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Tunisia | Turkmenistan | Turks and Caicos Islands | Tuvalu | Uganda |
| United States Minor Outlying Islands | Vanuatu | Vietnam | Virgin Islands (British) | Virgin Islands (U.S.) | Wallis and Futuna |
| Western Sahara | Yemen | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
Tourist Visa Application
Citizens of non-eligible countries must obtain a tourist A-1 visa using the Hayya platform (e-visa) or visit the Qatar embassy in their country. Visa-on-arrival nationals also have the option to apply for an E-visa in advance. The Hayya E-visa cost is QAR 100.
FAQs
Is Qatar Visa Free for Pakistanis?
Yes, Pakistani nationals can avail of a visa-free entry to Qatar. However, the travellers must obtain a free visa upon arrival. The duration of this free visa is 30 days.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain a Qatar Tourist Visa?
It depends on the visa type, duration and your country. However, Qatar tourist visa processing time can be up to two weeks under the normal category.
With this, we wrap up our guide to visa-free entry to Qatar. Now, you must know about the eligibility and requirements. Plan a hassle-free trip to Qatar with your loved ones and add these best beaches to your tour itinerary.
Additionally, explore the Souq Waqif and the Mina District to enjoy your stay to the fullest. Check out the list of best things to do in Doha on the Property Finder blog.
