Qatar waives entry visa requirements for citizens of 80 countries

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways have announced that Qatar will allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries, effective immediately.

Citizens of those countries wishing to visit Qatar will no longer need to apply or pay for a visa. Instead, a multi-entry waiver will be issued free-of-charge at the port of entry, upon presentation of a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months and a confirmed onward or return ticket.

Depending on the nationality of the visitor, the waiver will either be valid for 180 days, from the date of issue, and allow the visitor to spend a total of 90 days in Qatar (multiple-entry waiver); or it will be valid for 30 days from the date of issue and entitle the visitor to spend up to 30 days in Qatar with the possibility of applying for an extension of the waiver for an additional 30 days (multiple-entry waiver).

Atrium lounge at the Sheraton Doha, one of the most popular and established hotels in Qatar

These developments come as part of a series of measures that Qatar has taken to facilitate visitor access to the country. Last month, Qatar launched an e-visa platform, through which travellers of all nationalities can apply for tourist and visitor visas with more efficiency and ease.

The country is also considering further enhancements to its visa policy, such as waiving visa requirements for holders of a residence permit or a valid visa from the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or the Schengen countries. This waiver would allow eligible visitors to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation by completing a simple online application at least 48 hours prior to travel.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said, “Today’s announcement places the State of Qatar as the most open country in the region. This is a momentous occasion for Qatar, making the number of nationalities eligible to enter our country without a visa the highest in region, which is something that we are very proud of. Qatar Airways is the patriotic flag carrier for the State of Qatar and as such we are extremely honoured to bring millions of people each year to our beautiful, welcoming and historic country. This important initiative from the Ministry of Interior and Qatar Tourism Authority will provide an opportunity to welcome even more visitors, from even more countries, to experience the many exciting attractions that await them.”

Nationals of the following 33 countries will not require prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar. The waiver will be valid for 180 days from the date of issuance and entitle its holder to spend up to 90 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips.

1. Austria 

2. Bahamas

3. Belgium 

4. Bulgaria

5. Croatia

6. Cyprus

7. Czech Republic

8. Denmark 

9. Estonia

10. Finland 

11. France 

12. Germany 

13. Greece 

14. Hungary

15. Iceland 

16. Italy 

17. Latvia

18. Liechtenstein 

19. Lithuania

20. Luxembourg 

21. Malta

22. Netherlands 

23. Norway 

24. Poland

25. Portugal 

26. Romania

27. Seychelles

28. Slovakia

29. Slovenia

30. Spain 

31. Sweden

32. Switzerland

33. Turkey

Nationals of the following 47 countries will not require prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival in Qatar. The waiver will be valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and entitle its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. This waiver may be extended for a further 30 days.

1. Andorra 

2. Argentina

3. Australia 

4. Belarus

5. Bolivia

6. Brazil

7. Brunei 

8. Canada 

9. Chile

10. China

11. Colombia

12. Ecuador

13. Panama 

14. Costa Rica

15. Georgia

16. Guyana

17. Hong Kong 

18. India

19. Indonesia 

20. Ireland 

21. Japan

22. Kazakhstan

23. Lebanon 

24. Azerbaijan 

25. Macedonia 

26. Malaysia 

27. Maldives

28. Mexico

29. Moldova

30. Monaco 

31. New Zealand 

32. Paraguay

33. Peru

34. Russia

35. San Marino 

36. Singapore 

37. South Africa

38. South Korea 

39. Suriname

40. Cuba

41. Thailand

42. Ukraine

43. United Kingdom 

44. United States 

45. Uruguay

46. Vatican City

47. Venezuela

In November 2016, Qatar introduced a free transit visa, which allows passengers of all nationalities transiting in Qatar for a minimum of five hours to stay in Qatar for up to 96 hours (four days). This, along with intensified international marketing, has resulted in a 39% increase in the number of stopover visitors during the first six months of 2017, compared with the same period last year.