The Difference between Qatar Visit Visa and Qatar Tourist Visa

If an applicant decides to stay in Qatar for a duration of fewer than 30 days, it is recommended to apply for a Qatar tourist visa.

Qatar Visit Visa During COVID-19

Applicants for Qatar visit visas need to keep in mind that their visa applications will be restricted to the following:

• In Qatar, only fully vaccinated visitors with at least 14 days since their last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine recognized in Qatar is allowed entry. These approved vaccines are:
  • Pfizer BioNTech (two doses)
  • Moderna (two doses)
  • AstraZeneca (two doses)
  • Johnson & Johnson (one dose)
• If GCC citizens have recovered from COVID-19 infection within any GCC country during the past year and have received one dose of vaccine, they are exempt from quarantine after 14 days have passed since vaccination. These exemptions are valid for up to one year after vaccination or recovery.
• A negative PCR-test

What are the Documents Required for Qatar Family Visit Visa?

To apply for a Qatar visit visa, applicants must collect various documents for a successful application process.

Basic Documents

First, applicants must gather these basic documents:

• Passport
  • A copy of the first and the last page of the passport is needed.
  • The passport must be valid for at least six months.
  • Be original and not forged.
• Be in good condition and not be torn, ripped, split, or damaged.
• Photograph
  • The photo must have a blue background.
  • The photo dimensions are 38 mm x 48 mm.
  • The photo must be passport-sized
  • 80% of the applicant’s face must be in the frame.
  • The applicant’s head should be in the center.
  • The picture must have been taken in the recent 6 months.
  • Applicant must have neutral facial expressions (No smiling or frowning).
  • The applicant’s glasses must not be in the photo.
  • Only headgears for religious reasons are allowed.
  • If the applicant has long hair, the hair must be tied back.
  • The applicant’s ears must be visible.
  • The applicant’s teeth should not be in the photo.
• Flight tickets
  • Applicant must provide confirmed round-trip, toward, or return journey tickets.
• Evidence of accommodation
• Evidence of adequate assets
  • A bank statement showing the records for the past three months
  • Credit or debit card or equivalent
• Travel itinerary
  • A detailed itinerary, including the applicant’s plans for the time of their stay

If you want to know how to immigrate to Qatar as an HR manager, read our article. 

Specific Documents

There are other more specific documents for the applicants to collect. For example:

• If applying for a visit visa for your wife
  • A copy of the husband’s Qatar ID
  • A copy of the husband’s passport
  • Their Marriage Certificate copy
  • Wife’s Passport copy
  • A letter from the husband’s employer explaining the husband’s profession and salary
  • Travel Insurance
  • Flight Tickets

• If applying for a visit visa for your relatives, bear in mind that only those who are married and have family in Qatar are eligible to sponsor relatives.
  • Qatar ID copy of the sponsor
  • A copy of the Sponsor’s Passport
  • A copy of the Sponsor’s Wife’s Qatar ID
  • Wife’s Passport copy of the sponsor
  • Visitor’s valid passport copy
  • Document supporting their relationship, such as birth certificates, passports, etc.
  • A letter from the sponsor’s employer explaining the sponsor’s profession and salary
  • Travel Insurance
  • Flight Tickets

How Can I Apply for Qatar Visit Visa?

There are two ways to apply for a Qatar visit visa. Applicants can apply online and offline.

Applying Qatar Visit Visa Offline

Applicants must go through the following steps to be able to obtain their visa successfully. Applicants have to:

• Complete the visa application form. This form can be obtained from this link.
• Visit any Ministry of Interior (Mol) service center with the required documents. Applicants will need the following items in addition to the mentioned documents:
  • The original passport, QID, and letter from the employer for verification.
  • A copy of the Tenancy Contract. This contract can prove where the visitor will be staying while in Qatar.
  • If the applicant is on the spouse’s sponsorship and the tenancy contract is under the spouse’s name, they will need to supply a marriage certificate to prove their relationship.
• Wait for their turn after getting a token number at Reception.
• Go to the counter and submit the documents once their number is displayed on the screen.
• Sometimes Ministry personnel would write the comments on your application. They might also ask the applicant to meet the captain for final approval. The captain will decide if the application is accepted or rejected. If accepted, They would give a receipt to the applicant and ask to check after 2-3 working days.
• Follow the link on the receipt to check after two days.
• If the visa is approved, the applicant can pay the visa fees at the Mol Service Centre.

Applying Qatar Visit Visa Online

Applicants can use the Metrash2 application and apply for a Qatar visit visa online. This method of applying has several steps:

1. Go to the Metrash2 app and log in or sign up.
2. Press the “Visa” icon.
3. Press the “Issue Visa” icon.
4. Press the “Family Visit” icon.
5. Press the “Family Visa Application” icon.
6. Press “New Application.”
7. Complete details related to the visitor with precise information, such as gender, relation, nationality, date of birth, passport details, etc.
8. Press “Validate.”
9. Upload the scans of required documents or photos.
   1. The uploaded document scans or photos must be clear and legible.
   2. Both the photo page and bio page of passports should be on the same side. These pages must be combined to create one JPG file.
   3. Both the front and back of the Qatar ID should be on the same side of the JPG file. These pages must be combined to create one JPG file.
   4. Authorities might ask for a birth certificate to prove your relationship with the visitor. If not available, you can collect other documents to prove the relationship.
10. Applicants will receive updates a few days after the application is over. If authorities find any problems with the documents, the applicant will be informed about them to make the necessary changes.  After the application process is over and approved, you will be given an application number for the fee payment.
11. Note: The processing time for the application is up to 4 weeks for many people.
12. After the visa has been approved, you must pay the visa fee online. You are able to download your visa once the visa fee has been paid using Metrash2.

How Long is a Qatar Work Visa Valid?

If an applicant plans to visit immediate family, they can extend their visa for 5 months in the case of close family members. For the visit of their spouse or children, applicants can extend the visa to a period of six months.

If an applicant plans to visit an extended family member, they can extend their family visit visa for a period of two months.

If you want to immigrate to Qatar as a doctor or nurse, read our article.

How Long is a Qatar Visit Visa Application Process?

It takes from seven to ten days for the Qatar visit visa to be processed once the fees have been submitted.

What is the cost of a Qatar visit visa?

Qatar family visit visa costs QAR 200 or 54,93 USD every month.

How can I extend my Qatar visit visa?

For every additional month, there is a fee of 200 QAR or 54,93 USD. After completing a medical examination, you can extend the one-month visit visa.

Can I convert my family visit visa to a residence visa in Qatar?

As long as your spouse and children qualify for sponsorship, you can convert your family visit visa to a residence visa.

The Bottom Line …

The Qatari government issues visit visas or family visit visas for the applicants who want to travel to Qatar and reunite with their family members. This visa can be obtained offline and online.

In this article, we explained this type of visa, how to apply for it, its required documents, etc., in detail. If you have any experience regarding obtaining a Qatar visit visa, please share it with us in the comment section.