Qatar permanent residency card

The conditions do not apply to children of a Qatari woman married to a non-Qatari, the non-Qatari husband of a Qatari woman, the non-Qatari wife of a Qatari man, children of naturalised Qataris, people who have rendered great services to the state, and people with special abilities the state needs.

The ministry explains that the special competencies needed by the state are technical, scientific or administrative professions. A Qatari man may only apply for his foreign wife if the marriage was authorised in advance by the Committee for the Regulation of Marriage of Foreigners.

The Ministry of Interior lists four conditions: 20 years of residence in Qatar on a legal residence permit if born abroad, or 10 years if born in Qatar; enough income to cover the applicant's and the family's expenses; good conduct and reputation with no final conviction for a dishonourable offence in Qatar or abroad; and sufficient knowledge of Arabic.

The Ministry of Interior charges a QAR 3,000 application fee, which is not refunded and covers all family members included in the file; it is paid online by debit or credit card. If the application is finally approved, a further QAR 3,000 is paid for issuing the card.

The law caps new permanent residence permits at 100 people a year, a number the Emir may raise on the Interior Minister's proposal, as Qatar's embassy in Islamabad summarised when the law was issued in September 2018. Meeting the conditions therefore does not guarantee a card in a given year.

Start with the Permanent Residency Eligibility Inquiry on the Ministry of Interior portal or Hukoomi. If eligible, submit the application online. The Permanent Residence Card Granting Committee examines the file and sends its recommendation to the Minister of Interior, who decides.

The online application requires a Qatari smart ID card with e-services activated and a smart card reader connected to the computer. You choose the category, tick the ID numbers of each family member to include and receive a receipt by text message. The committee then decides which documents it needs, and you are told through Metrash2 messages to upload them for each ID number. Progress can be followed under Inquiries, Residence Services, Permanent Residence on the ministry website.

Holders may leave and re-enter Qatar during the card's validity without a separate permit, and receive treatment and education in government institutions under conditions set by the Council of Ministers. Their spouse and children under 18 receive the same privileges. Holders may invest in designated sectors without a Qatari partner and own real estate for housing and some investment purposes.