Free Qatar Visa on Arrival Eligibility, Cost & Stay

Planning a trip to Qatar and curious about how to get a visa on arrival? The process and cost can vary depending on your nationality. Travelers from many countries can get a visa on arrival, making it easy to explore Qatar during a layover or a longer stay.

In this guide, I’ll break down the latest details on Qatar’s visa on arrival, tailored to your citizenship. My goal is to provide a clear and helpful resource for anyone looking to understand how to get a free Qatar visa.

Great news! If you’re from one of 101 countries, you can now enter Qatar easily with a visa on arrival or a transit visa. If you have a layover at Doha Airport, you can get a transit visa for up to 96 hours, but it can’t be extended. The visa on arrival lets you stay for up to 30 days. Qatar Guides has all the information you need to plan your perfect trip. Take a look and get ready for an amazing adventure!.

Qatar Visa on Arrival Requirements

Before traveling to Qatar, it’s important to check the requirements for getting a visa on arrival. Here’s a simple list to help you prepare:

You must be a citizen of one of the eligible countries.
You need a confirmed return ticket or an onward ticket.
Your passport should be valid for at least six months.
You must book a hotel for your stay. Most visitors can book any hotel, but if you’re from India, Pakistan, Thailand, or Ukraine, you’ll need to book through the Discover Qatar website.
You must have health insurance for QAR 50 from a company registered with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health.
If you’re from Pakistan or India, you also need an international debit or credit card in your name with at least QAR 5000. You’ll also need to show a bank statement from the last three months to prove the balance.

List of QATAR Visa On Arrival Eligible Countries

Travelers eligible for the Qatar visa on arrival are divided into two categories based on the type of visa they qualify for.

Category 1 Qatar Visa On Arrival Countries – 90 Days Duration

For travelers from the following countries, the visa waiver will be valid for 180 days (about 6 months) from the date it is issued. This allows the bearer to stay up to 90 days (about 3 months) in Qatar, either on a single trip or multiple trips. Below is a list of countries eligible for the 90-day visa on arrival:

Antigua	Argentina	Austria	Barbuda
Bahamas	Belgium	Bulgaria	Croatia
Cyprus	Czech Republic	Denmark	Dominican Republic
Estonia	Finland	France	Germany
Greece	Holland	Hungary	Iceland
Italy	Latvia	Lithuania	Liechtenstein
Luxembourg	Malaysia	Malta	Netherlands
Norway	Poland	Portugal	Romania
Serbia	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden
Slovenia	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine

Category 2 Qatar Visa On Arrival Countries 30 Days Duration

Citizens of the following countries are allowed a visa-free stay of 30 days from the date of issuance. This stay can be extended for an additional 30 days. Below is a list of countries eligible for the 30-day visa on arrival:

Andorra	Australia	Azerbaijan	Belarus
Bolivia	Bosnia	Brazil	Brunei
Canada	Chile	China	Colombia
Costa Rica	Cuba	Ecuador	Falkland Islands
French Guiana	Georgia	Guyana	Hong Kong
India	Indonesia	Iran	Ireland
Japan	Kazakhstan	Lebanon	Macau
Macedonia	Maldives	Mauritius	Mexico
Moldova	Monaco	Montenegro	New Zealand
Pakistan	Panama	Paraguay	Peru
Russia	Rwanda	San Marino	Singapore
South Africa	South Korea	Suriname	Thailand
United Kingdom,	United States	Vatican City	Venezuela

Qatar has also introduced ETA Visas for citizens of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If you need more information about the ETA visa, you can check here

Qatar Visa On Arrival Cost & Stay Period

The Qatar visa on arrival is free of charge for eligible travelers. This means that citizens from the 95 eligible countries can get a visa waiver when they arrive in Qatar without paying any fees.

The length of stay depends on your nationality, with some countries allowing a 90-day stay and others a 30-day stay.

GCC Country Residents are Exempted from Visa on Arrival Requirements

Residents of GCC countries don’t need a visa on arrival to enter Qatar. In addition to the countries listed above, nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) don’t need a visa to enter Qatar.

Immigration Counter Procedure:

Let the airline crew know that you plan to get a visa on arrival when you check in for your flight. They might ask about your accommodation. If you’re staying with a relative, have a copy of their contact details and QID ready.
At the Doha immigration counter, tell the officer you want a visa on arrival.
If asked, provide your hotel or host’s contact details (name, phone number).
If you’re from India, Pakistan, Iran, or Ukraine, bring a credit or debit card with you.
When prompted, look into the camera for an iris scan (eye scan). A green light will blink to confirm it.
Some travelers might need to do a fingerprint scan.
The immigration officer will place a small sticker on your passport.
That’s it! Welcome to Doha!

How to Extend Qatar Visa upon Arrival?

If you’re from a country that allows a 30-day visa on arrival, you can extend your visa online:

Go to the MOI website and find the Visit Visa Extension Service page (under Visa Services -> Visit Visa Extension).
Enter your visa or passport number.
Choose your nationality from the drop-down menu.
Enter the verification code from the image or audio.
Click the “Extend” option.

Your visa will be extended for an additional 30 days.

Qatar Travel Policy Updates:

According to Qatar’s MOPH travel policy, issued in October 2022:

COVID testing is no longer required before or after travel.
You don’t need to pre-register for Ehteraz.
You only need the Ehteraz app to visit public and private health centers.
Quarantine is not required for international travelers. However, if you test positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Qatar, you’ll need to follow the State’s quarantine protocols.
The classification of countries based on COVID-19 risk (Red List and Standard Health List) is no longer in effect.

Differentiate Transit Visa & Visa on Arrival

To make things clearer, here’s a comparison between the transit visa and the visa on arrival:

Visa On Arrival

The Qatar visa on arrival is free and allows entry into Qatar.
It’s available to citizens of 95 countries, with Qatar offering different Types of this visa.
Depending on your nationality, the visa on arrival allows a stay of either 30 or 90 days in Qatar. Some nationalities can extend their stay by an additional 30 days.
You need a valid passport, a booked flight, a hotel reservation, and health insurance to get this visa.
The immigration officer issues the visa upon your arrival in Qatar after checking your documents.

Transit Visa

Like the visa on arrival, the transit visa is also free of charge.
The Qatar transit visa is a temporary visa that lets travelers pass through Qatar on their way to another country.
You can get a transit visa if your layover at Hamad International Airport is at least five hours.
The transit visa is valid for up to four days (96 hours).

Frequently Asked Questions

A: Citizens from 95 eligible countries can get a visa on arrival to Qatar. The eligibility depends on your nationality.

A: The main requirements include a valid passport with at least six months of validity, a confirmed return or onward ticket, a hotel reservation for your stay, and health insurance from a Qatar-approved provider. Some nationalities may also need a credit or debit card with a minimum balance.

You don’t need to apply in advance. Simply arrive at Doha Airport, and let the immigration officer know that you want a visa on arrival. Provide the necessary documents, and the visa will be issued on the spot.

You apply for the visa on arrival at the immigration counter at Doha Airport when you arrive in Qatar.

The processing time is usually quick, taking just a few minutes once you’ve provided all the required documents to the immigration officer.

The visa on arrival is typically valid for either 30 days or 90 days, depending on your nationality. Some visas can be extended for an additional 30 days.

To ensure a smooth process, have all your documents ready, including your passport, return ticket, hotel reservation, and health insurance. If you’re from a country like Pakistan or India, make sure your credit or debit card meets the minimum balance requirement. Also, inform the airline crew during check-in that you intend to get a visa on arrival.

Pakistani citizens need a valid passport with at least six months of validity, a confirmed return or onward ticket, a hotel reservation through the Discover Qatar website, health insurance, and an international credit or debit card with a minimum balance of QAR 5000. A bank statement from the last three months is also required to prove the balance.