Qatar Entry and Travel Requirements

Qatar Entry Requirements are the set of rules that all travelers visiting Qatar must comply with to enter the country without any issues. These requirements also specify types of documentation that every traveler to Qatar must obtain for the intended trip. 

Among the most essential documents necessary for hassle-free entry to Qatar are a valid passport and a visa. The passport should remain valid for at least six months from the planned arrival date, while the visa type depends on the traveler's nationality, travel purpose, and desired length of stay.

Qatar visa policy determines the requirements that must be met to obtain a visa for Qatar. All nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council countries who hold a National ID card enjoy the freedom of movement to Qatar and are exempt from getting a Qatari visa. 

Citizens of around 230 countries are eligible for the Qatar eVisa, which is issued entirely online and covers tourist and transit purposes. The electronic visa for Qatar enables a 30-day leisure-related stay in the country and can be extended for an additional month entirely online after arrival in Qatar and before the visa's expiration. 

Citizens of non-visa-exempt countries who are not eligible for an electronic visa or who plan to visit Qatar for other purposes than leisure will need to apply for a regular visa at the nearest Qatari embassy much in advance of the planned travel.

Currently, Qatar remains open for certain travelers. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the country introduced some additional entry requirements that must be met by all visitors to Qatar.

All travelers need to complete, i.a., the Qatar Entry Registration before the planned trip. Moreover, all the persons planning to travel to Qatar should check quarantine, vaccination, and testing requirements.

The latest update in the Qatar Covid-19 travel policy is effective as of 4th Sep. 2022. The country has introduced the following changes:

• removal of the List of Countries subject to Covid-19 Red Health Measures;
• removal of the quarantine measures for international travelers, except for those who have tested positive for Covid-19 (these travelers are still subject to quarantine procedures).

Please note! Qatar entry requirements may change very quickly. Make sure to check on the recent update before setting off for the journey. 

Who can enter Qatar?

• vaccinated and non-vaccinated foreign visitors
• vaccinated and non-vaccinated Qatar citizens and residents
• vaccinated and non-vaccinated GCC citizens (who are not Qatar residents)

Please note! Unvaccinated foreign visitors coming from countries listed as high-risk, therefore subject to the Red Health Measures, are currently banned from visiting Qatar.

Documents check-list for entering Qatar

The documents required for entering Qatar may differ depending on the traveler's nationality, country of departure, vaccination status, and age.

Travelers planning to visit Qatar should prepare some of the following documents:

• a negative PCR test result (if required, differs according to nationality and vaccination status) - the test should be conducted within 48 hours of one's scheduled arrival in Qatar
• a vaccination certificate (for fully vaccinated travelers)
• a completed Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form
• a confirmation of pre-registering one's visit to Qatar via the Ehteraz platform
• Qatar visa or Qatar eVisa (if required by nationality)
• Travel insurance
• Proof of having a booked quarantine hotel (if subject to quarantine after arrival) - a Welcome-Home quarantine package must be booked through the Discover Qatar Website

Qatar Travel Requirements

The Government of Qatar now allows both vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers to visit its country. However, there are a few travel requirements needed to be met to enter Qatar with no issues.

Qatar travel requirements differ based on a few factors, including the traveler's nationality, whether or not they have a Qatar residence permit, their vaccination status, recovery status, and more.

The current travel requirements for Qatar are also divided into Standard Health Measures and Red Health Measures, as well as into two groups:

• Citizens and Residents of Qatar
• GCC citizens (without residency permits) and foreign visitors

Based on the mentioned factors, some travelers can enter Qatar not needing to take a pre-departure or on-arrival test, while some do need to get tested before departure and quarantine and test upon arrival in Qatar.

Qatar health authorities also underline that random testing, thermal screenings, as well as temperature checks may be performed upon arrival in the country via any port, whether air, sea, or land.

Read on for detailed information on the current Qatar entry requirements to prepare for your visit to Qatar.

Red-listed countries

The Qatar Government has currently listed seven countries as high-risk/red ones, including:

1. Bangladesh
2. Egypt
3. India
4. Nepal
5. Pakistan
6. The Philippines
7. Sri Lanka

Since the above-listed countries may change with time, it's best to check the currently red-listed countries on the official, Qatar Government website at https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/travel-and-return-policy/Pages/default.aspx.

Travelers from red-listed countries may be subject to additional entry requirements and even an entry ban in some cases.

Testing, vaccination, and quarantine requirements

Testing

Qatar health authorities distinguish three testing requirements:

• pre-departure testing
• on-arrival testing
• additional testing

Pre-departure testing requirement

Pre-departure Covid-19 tests are currently mandatory for:

• Qatar citizens and residents coming from a country subject to Red Health Measures (in this case a PCR test is required to be completed within 48 hours of the traveler's scheduled departure)
• Non-vaccinated/non-immune GCC citizens subject to Standard Health Measures
• Fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated/non-immune GCC citizens subject to the Red Health Measures
• Fully vaccinated travelers who are not GCC residents or nationals/residents of any EU country
• Unvaccinated/non-immune travelers - GCC citizens (without residency) and all other foreign visitors
• Fully vaccinated GCC citizens and foreign visitors coming from high-risk countries, subject to Red Health Measures

Please note! The pre-departure PCR test should be conducted within 48 hours of one's scheduled arrival in Qatar.

On-arrival testing in Qatar

On-arrival testing in Qatar is currently required of every incoming visitor, as well as Qatar citizens and residents coming to the country.

The specifics of the test may differ depending on the traveler's nationality, residence, or vaccination status.

However, most travelers will need to get a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of their arrival in Qatar.

Additional testing

Some travelers may be required to take an additional Covid-19 test, most of the time on the 5th day of their stay in Qatar, especially if they need to quarantine upon arrival.

Vaccination

In most cases, both fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers may enter Qatar. The only case when unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter Qatar is for foreign visitors coming from a high-risk country subject to the Red Health Measures.

Please note! In most cases, not fully vaccinated travelers must adhere to additional safety measures, such as taking a pre-departure or on-arrival test or undergoing a home or hotel quarantine.

Quarantine

Certain travelers visiting Qatar will be subject to either a 1-day or 5-day hotel or home quarantine, depending on their nationality, country of departure, and vaccination status.

Travelers currently exempt from any type of quarantine upon visiting Qatar are as follows:

• Fully vaccinated Qatar citizens and residents subject to both Standard and Red Health Measures
• Fully vaccinated GCC citizens (non-residents) when adhering to the Standard Health Measures (i.e., not coming from a high-risk country)
• Fully vaccinated/recovered foreign visitors subject to Standard Health Measures

The applicable quarantine may either be a home one or a hotel one, depending on the traveler's nationality, country of origin, and vaccination status.

Should you be subject to self-isolation after arrival, an appropriate quarantine package - a Welcome-Home quarantine package should be booked through the Discover Qatar Website.

Traveling from Qatar

The Qatar Government allows its citizens and residents to travel abroad freely as long as they adhere to the Qatar entry requirements upon returning to the country.

When traveling from Qatar, make sure to adhere to the entry requirements stipulated by the country you'll be visiting from Qatar.

Traveling to Qatar

Traveling to Qatar is possible for all Qatar citizens and residents, as well as all foreign visitors. The only group of travelers that is currently banned from visiting Qatar is unvaccinated foreign visitors coming from a high-risk country.

The Qatar Government has implemented a few entry requirements that both its citizens/residents and foreign visitors must comply with when planning to visit or return to Qatar.

The applicable requirements may consist of getting tested for Covid-19 pre-departure, taking a Covid-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in Qatar, a 5-day home or hotel quarantine, and completing the Qatar Health Declaration - the Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form.

Entry Rules for Children

The Qatar health authorities stipulated that underage travelers aged below 12 who are not vaccinated and are traveling with a parent/legal guardian that's fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19, do not need to take a pre-departure test.

Instead, a post-arrival rapid antigen test is required to be taken at a specified location that differs depending on the traveler's nationality. Qatar citizens and residents returning to the country should get tested at either a public or private clinic within 24 hours of their arrival.

In the case of GCC citizens and other foreign visitors, the Covid-19 test should be performed at the port of entry to Qatar or at a hotel in which the parents are undergoing self-isolation post their arrival.

Parents/legal guardians of underage travelers should fill out the Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form on the behalf of the children.

Transit through Qatar - rules during the Covid-19 pandemic

There are no specific Covid-19 entry rules for travelers visiting Qatar in transit. The layover however should not take more than 24 hours.

For short transit stays, a Qatar visa is not required either.

Qatar visa requirements

Freedom of Movement

The following five GCC countries have a Freedom of Movement Agreement with Qatar, and can visit this country freely, with no visa required:

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• The United Arab Emirates

Visa Exemption

Numerous countries are exempt from the visa requirement when visiting Qatar for a short stay. For some countries, a 90-day stay is allowed, while others are eligible for a 30-day visa-exempt stay.

Qatar Visa on Arrival

A Qatar Visa on Arrival is available for travelers with a nationality from:

• India
• Iran
• Macau
• Pakistan
• Taiwan

A Visa on Arrival is simply a travel authorization that can be obtained after arriving into Qatar by submitting a visa application and providing any required documents right at the port of entry into the country.

Qatar eVisa and ETA

ETA - introduced in 2017, allows travelers not eligible for the VoA or visa-free entry to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization that allows a 30-day stay in Qatar.

Travelers who wish to apply for ETA must have a valid visa or residence permit from either:

• Australia,
• Canada,
• New Zealand,
• the Schengen countries,
• the United Kingdom,
• the United States
• the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council

Qatar eVisa - introduced in 2017 allows travelers arriving from the eligible countries to get an online Qatar visa, which is issued as a single-entry travel authorization allowing a 30-day stay in Qatar.

Qatar Health Declaration

The Government of Qatar and its health authorities require incoming visitors to complete an Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form that relates to the Covid-19 health measures within the country.

The Health Declaration that needs to be completed is available entirely online and consists of a few short sections that require travelers to provide their:

• Personal Details: name, surname, Qatar ID number (if applicable), nationality, passport number, date of birth, address in one's home country
• Contact Details: phone number, email address
• Flight Details: country of departure, date and time of arrival in Qatar, flight number, airline name
• Stay Details: address for the stay in Qatar

Travelers must then answer a few transit-related details, such as:

• Whether or not they have been in another country in transit

Should the answer be yes, travelers are then required to provide details of their recent transit stay, such as the name of the country visited and the length/duration of the layover.

Lastly, travelers must agree to comply with the implemented by the Qatar Government health and safety regulations that relate to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Qatar Pre-Registration Platform

All travelers should pre-register their visit to Qatar within 3 days of their scheduled arrival into the country via an official Qatar Government website.

The pre-registration requires providing:

• a visa number - for foreign visitors that will travel with a visa
• A Qatar ID no. for Qatar citizens and residents
• A passport number and nationality or Qatari ID no. for GCC citizens

The platform also requires attaching a few essential documents, including:

• a vaccination certificate/proof of recovery
• a booked hotel for quarantine (if subject to quarantine post-arrival)
• a PCR test result (if required)
• a passport copy - for GCC citizens

After completing the pre-registration, travelers should download the Ehteraz App and activate it upon arriving in Qatar either using a local Qatar SIM Card or using an international SIM Card.

Exemptions

The following travelers are exempt from pre-registering their visit:

• Fully vaccinated GCC citizens who have registered in one of the respective Covid Health Applications of their country
• Fully vaccinated EU nationals and residents that have a COVPass Health App do not need to register, but need to take a Rapid Antigen Test within 24 hours of their arrival in Qatar, at one of the authorized private clinics

Examples of other acceptable Covid Health Apps:

• Tawakkalna (Saudi Arabia)
• Al Hosn (the UAE)
• Shlonik (Kuwait)
• Tarassud (Oman)
• ​BeAware Bahrain (Bahrain)

Nevertheless, travelers who are exempt, are still advised to complete the pre-registration via the Ehteraz website to ensure issue-free entry into Qatar.

Moreover, downloading and activating the Ehteraz App is still required for the exempted from pre-registration travelers.

Travel Insurance

The Qatar Government requires all travelers to have valid travel insurance for the entire duration of their stay in Qatar.

It's best to get insurance that covers costs relating to Covid-19 to avoid any unexpected costs.