Qatar

Qatar visa and residence permit guide

  • 11 visa types
  • checked 25 October 2026

How visas for Qatar work

Entry and residence in Qatar are run by the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Short visits fall into two groups: travellers from more than 100 countries are admitted visa-free at Hamad International Airport or the Abu Samra land border, while everyone else applies in advance for an e-visa on Hayya, the government platform that replaced the separate tourist-visa channels. Hayya offers four entry permits: a tourist visa (A1), a visa for residents of other GCC states (A2), an entry visa linked to an existing Schengen, US or UK visa or residence permit (A3), and a visa for companions of GCC citizens (A4).

Every visitor, visa-free or not, needs a passport valid for at least three months from arrival, a confirmed return or onward ticket and health insurance from an insurer registered with the Ministry of Public Health. Some nationalities that enter on arrival must also have a hotel booked through Discover Qatar before they fly. Those driving in via Abu Samra buy vehicle insurance electronically through the Qatar Unified Bureau.

Anything longer than a visit is sponsored. Workers come on a work visa requested by their employer, then convert it into a residence permit (Qatar ID) after a medical test and fingerprinting. Residents earning enough can bring their spouse and children; foreigners who buy property worth at least QAR 730,000 receive a residence permit without a sponsor, and at QAR 3,650,000 the permit carries benefits similar to permanent residency. Invest Qatar runs entrepreneur and executive residency tracks, and Law No. 10 of 2018 created a permanent residency card for long-term residents.

Qatari embassies and consulates abroad do not start work, study or residence cases: these are opened by the sponsor in Qatar, and the missions come in mainly to attest documents issued in their country. GCC citizens need no visa at all, and every other traveller can check their category on the Visit Qatar visa checker before travelling.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday, family visit or short business trip: check the Visit Qatar visa checker. If your nationality is among the 100-plus visa-free nationalities, enter without a visa; the permitted stay is set by the Ministry of Interior at entry. Otherwise apply on Hayya (A1, or A3 if you hold a Schengen, US or UK visa or residence).

Stopover with Qatar Airways of six hours or more and no visa exemption: ask for a transit visa at the Discover Qatar desk at Hamad International Airport.

Job offer in Qatar: your employer requests the work visa; senior executives at listed companies, banks or insurers can be nominated for Executive Residency.

Founding a start-up with a Qatari incubator: Entrepreneur Residency through Invest Qatar. Buying a home: property-owner residence from QAR 730,000.

Joining a resident spouse or parent: family residence visa sponsored by the resident; for short visits by relatives, the family visit visa.

Studying at a Qatari university: student residence sponsored by the university. Twenty years of legal residence (ten if born in Qatar): permanent residency card.

Visa types for Qatar

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Visa-free entry (formerly visa on arrival)

    Citizens of more than 100 countries can enter Qatar without applying for a visa, and GCC citizens need no visa at all.

    Maximum stay: Set by the Ministry of Interior at entry for each nationality; Qatar's visa-free visitors stay for varying periods depending on the passport.
  • Transit visa Qatar transit visa (Discover Qatar Transit Desk, Hamad International Airport)

    Passengers who are not visa-exempt and change planes in Doha with Qatar Airways can leave Hamad International Airport on a transit visa if their layover is at least six hours.

    Maximum stay: Up to 4 days
  • Family and friends visit visa Family visit visa (personal visit visa sponsored by a Qatar resident)

    A resident of Qatar can sponsor relatives for a family visit visa, also called a personal visit visa, requested from the Ministry of Interior through its e-services or the Metrash2 app.

    Maximum stay: One month on entry; longer only with an extension approved by the Ministry of Interior.

Business and self-employment

  • Entrepreneur and start-up visa Entrepreneur Residency (Invest Qatar with partner incubators)

    Founders and co-founders incubated by a recognised Qatari incubator can obtain long-term, renewable residency through Invest Qatar.

    Validity: Long-term residency with a renewal option; no fixed term is published.

Study and training

  • Student visa Student visa and student residence permit sponsored by the university (example: Qatar University)

    International students in Qatar enter on a student visa arranged by their university, which then sponsors their residence permit.

    Validity: Qatar University residence permits are normally issued for one year and renewed.

Work

  • Work visa Work visa and work residence permit (Qatar ID) sponsored by an employer

    Foreigners can only work in Qatar when an employer, or an individual resident, obtains prior work approval and asks the Ministry of Interior for a work visa.

    Validity: Residence permits are renewed for one to three years at a time.
  • Skilled worker visa Executive Residency (Invest Qatar / Jusour)

    Executive Residency is an Invest Qatar track for senior executives who already hold a Qatar ID and work for listed companies, licensed banks, insurers or certain consultancies.

    Validity: Long-term residency with a renewal option; Invest Qatar does not publish a fixed term.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Family residence visa (residence under the sponsorship of a resident, Law No. 4 of 2009)

    Residents of Qatar may sponsor their family for residence once they meet the Ministry of Interior conditions.

    Validity: Linked to the sponsor's residence; renewed for one to three years.

Residence

  • Golden visa and residence by investment Residence permit for real estate owners (Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2020): QAR 730,000 and QAR 3,650,000 tiers

    Foreigners who buy property in the areas open to non-Qatari ownership can obtain a residence permit linked to the property.

    Validity: Five years, renewable, as long as the property is owned (Aqarat).
  • Permanent residence Permanent Residency Card (Law No. 10 of 2018 on Permanent Residence)

    Law No.

    Processing time: A committee at the Ministry of Interior reviews applications and recommends decisions to the Minister of Interior.

Online travel permits

  • e-Visa Hayya e-visas: Tourist Visa (A1), GCC Resident Visa (A2), Visa with ETA (A3), Companion of GCC Citizen (A4)

    Travellers who cannot enter Qatar visa-free apply online on Hayya, the government e-visa platform.

    Validity: Single entry; the permit can be used once and is non-transferable.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Qatar?

Not if your nationality is among the more than 100 that Visit Qatar lists for visa-free entry; GCC citizens need no visa at all. Everyone else applies in advance for a Hayya e-visa. The length of a visa-free visit is set by the Ministry of Interior at entry, and stays for work, study or family follow Qatari residence rules.

Where do I apply for a Qatar e-visa?

Only on the Hayya platform, through its website or mobile app. The Ministry of Interior lists Hayya as the channel for all four visit permits (A1 to A4). The e-visa fee of QAR 100 is charged only after the application is approved.

Is health insurance compulsory for visitors to Qatar?

Yes. The Ministry of Interior requires visitors to hold health insurance from a company registered with the Ministry of Public Health, and Hayya marks insurance as required. Visit Qatar notes that a policy can also be bought on arrival.

Can I work in Qatar on visa-free entry or a Hayya visa?

No. Visit status does not cover employment. Work requires a work visa requested by a Qatari employer, followed by a residence permit after arrival.

Does buying property give residency in Qatar?

Yes, in designated areas. Property worth at least QAR 730,000 entitles the owner to a residence permit without a sponsor; from QAR 3,650,000 the permit comes with benefits similar to permanent residency, including public health care and education. Both require at least 90 days a year in Qatar, according to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

What happens if I overstay a visit visa in Qatar?

The Ministry of Interior fines visit-visa holders who do not extend before expiry QAR 200 for each day of delay, up to QAR 12,000. Residents who renew a residence permit late pay QAR 10 a day, up to QAR 6,000.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 25 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.