Visa and Residence Permit regulations can change at short notice, please check prior to travelling. The Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs website should have up-to-date information. Some information on this page has been obtained from the British Embassy's UK Trade and Investment website.

Visas
Visitors can obtain a single entry short stay visa on arrival at Doha Airport. This is valid for 21 days and costs QR55. All visitors should be able to give a name and contact details of their host in Qatar. Overstaying is a serious matter. For those who do the penalties are expensive.

Businessmen can also obtain their visa from a Qatari Embassy. A letter should accompany the application for a business visa from a sponsor in Qatar stating that the visit will be for business purposes only. Visas can also be obtained via the main hotels.

Exit regulations
All residents, except wives and dependent children under the sponsorship of their husband or father, need exit permits from the sponsor in order to leave the country. It can take some time to obtain a exit visa so inform your employer well in advance if you require a exit visa. They must be lodged by your sponsor. It is also possible to obtain a multiple exit visa.

Permanent permit
Employment visas are valid for a period of one to three years. Permanent permits are renewable and are granted to individuals who have employment contracts in Qatar. A transfer of employment from one sponsor to another requires the approval of the Immigration Department at the Ministry of the Interior. A foreign national may transfer his or her sponsorship only if he or she has worked at least two years for the original sponsor.

Residence permits
Before you can come to Qatar for employment the Qatari sponsor must apply to the Department of Immigration for a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Once issued a copy of the NOC should be sent to the prospective employee, who should also obtain a valid visa for travel to Qatar.

He/she should present their copy of the NOC to the Immigration Officer on arrival at Doha International Airport. After admission he/she may apply for a Resident permit in the usual way.

Visitors who enter Qatar and then decide to seek employment should obtain a NOC through their sponsor. As this is technically a breach of Qatar Immigration Rules, although the change of status is usually permitted, some delay may ensue before NOC and a Resident permit are issued.

Sponsorship
All resident expatriates are required to have a Qatar sponsor. A relaxation of sponsorship rules was introduced in 1990. Expatriates may now transfer sponsorship by appliciation to the Immigration Department. However, prior written agreement of the outgoing sponsor is also required.

Expatriates who have completed their contract satisfactorily, and do not plan to renew it, nor to transfer sponsorship, are allowed to remain in Qatar only where it is specifically in the interest of the government. They should otherwise be non-resident for a minimum of two years, or return only under their original sponsorship or as a visitor.

Travel regulations are liable to change at short notice; and intending visitors are advised to consult their travel agent or the Qatari Embassy.

Documentation for travel to other Middle East countries
Visitors intending to go to other Middle East countries are strongly advised to obtain, before leaving, any visa or other documentation which may be required. Some visas take time to be granted and should be applied for well in advance.