Residence Visa

A residence visa in Qatar is valid for up to 3 years is granted to those with employment contracts. Once you arrive in Qatar, you will have to go through an intensive immigration process to obtain residence permits.

An application for residence visa in Qatar is made through the Immigration Department. These are pretty straightforward to arrange and usually available within 4 to 6 weeks of arrival. Once you have a residence work permit you are able to sponsor your spouse and children (provided you earn over QR 4,800 a month however even then you may still be refused).

Most companies have well-established departments to assist new arrivals in this process. The annual fee including the ID card of QR 1,050 (resident work permit holder), QR 550 (spouse and children over 18) and QR 302 (children under 18) is normally covered by the company.

Employers arrange the necessary appointments, which include a medical examination (at the Medical Commission in Abu Hammour), and finger-printing (at Al Waab). Up to twenty passport-size photos will be required throughout the entire immigration process. Photos of improper size, background colour or inconsistent eye-wear will be rejected. These photos are inexpensive and easy to obtain once you have arrived in Doha.

The medical examination includes a blood test for Aids and Hepatitis, as well as an X-ray for tuberculosis. Blood testing is required to determine your blood type: this is one of the most important stages of the immigration process. Men and women are tested in separate areas of the hospital and results of these tests are normally received within 48 hours. Occasionally, re-testing is required.

During the finger-printing process, an impression is taken of each fingertip as well as of both palms. It is a bit messy so wear work clothes and take along some wet-wipes to clean your hands afterwards.

You can only obtain a work permit from a local sponsor in Qatar, and cannot work for anyone other than your sponsor during this time. In most cases, you are unable to move to another employer before 2 years, and you will have to obtain a letter of no objection from your present sponsor (employer) before doing so.

Residence Permit Renewal
Residence permits are normally renewed by the employer, however there may be occasion where the sponsor may need renew for those under their sponsorship, for example wife, children or maid. Application forms can be obtained from the Ministry of Interior or online at www.qpost.com.qa. For a spouse or child over 18 years old the fee is QR 500, for a child below 18 years old QR 300 and for a maid or a driver QR 300. The completed form which should include both applicants and sponsors signature, should be submitted at the immigration office, or at the special post office counter with the following documentation: valid passport, ID, one photograph (with blue background), and the relevant fee. The permit is normally processed within 72 hours, and can be delivered to your home by Q-Post’s e-Residence online extranet service for an additional QR 10.