Ministry of Interior launches electronic visitor authorization system for expat families and former expats during Summer in Qatar
· Citizens and expats in Qatar can invite their relatives and obtain online authorization for them to enter the country with a visa issued on arrival without fees
· Beneficiaries include families and friends of expats and former expats in Qatar, as well as families looking for new holiday destinations
· Online authorization is open to all nationalities, and applications will be processed within 24 hours
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) in partnership with Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has launched an online authorization system via http://www.qatarvisaservices.com for all those wishing to travel to the country as part of the Summer in Qatar program, which runs from 4 June to 16 August 2019.
People wishing to visit Qatar during this period can obtain visas upon arrival after applying through the online portal.
Requirements depend on the nature of the visit and the people who are visiting:
1. Visits by relatives and friends
· Return ticket
· Host’s valid residence permit
· Proof of kinship
2. Visits by former expats
· Return ticket
· Proof of previous residence in Qatar
· Hotel reservation for the duration of the visit
3. Immediate family members visiting Qatar
· Return ticket. All tickets must have the same reservation code.
· Proof of kinship
· Booked hotel stay for the duration of the visit
Commenting on the announcement, Major Abdullah Khalifa al-Mohannadi , Director of Visa Support Services Department at the General Directorate of Passports, MOI stated that the UN World Tourism Organization recently ranked Qatar as the most open destination in the Middle East and the eighth worldwide in terms of visa facilitation. The new facilitation for expat families and former expats during the Summer in Qatar program will further enhance Qatar’s openness, and enrich traveler experiences.”
Khalid Al Jumaily, QNTC official, stressed that providing visitor experiences that reflect Qatar’s modernity and vision while celebrating Qatari heritage and tradition of hospitality is at the core of the tourism development strategy, adding “This experience begins even before a traveler arrives in Qatar, during their planning process. This latest development is part of QNTC efforts to introduce the biggest summer season in Qatar.”
The online authorization service is open for all nationalities. The concerned immigration department will process applications and respond to them within 24 hours. This speedy response will make it easier for travelers to choose Qatar as their destination during the summer season.
Qatar embarked on a journey to enhance visa facilitation and ensure Qatar is ready to welcome the world in 2016, when an agreement was signed between QNTC, Qatar Airways, Qatar’s Ministry of Interior and VFS Global to create an online platform for processing visa applications and issuing e-visas. The new service, launched in 2017, has significantly eased visitor access to Qatar, offering a more efficient and transparent visa application system, with standardised fees.
In the same month, a new process to facilitate disembarkation of cruise passengers was put in place, and before the end of the year, Qatar had launched a free, 96-hour transit visa, doubling the amount of time stopover passengers could remain in the country and enjoy its offerings.
In August 2017, Qatar applied the new visa waiver policy for nationals of more than 80 countries. In September 2017, Qatar made an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) available to visitors of all nationalities who hold valid residence permits or visas from either the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the Schengen countries. This system allows eligible visitors to obtain an ETA by completing a simple online application prior to travel at www.qatarvisaservice.com.
For media-related inquiries, please contact QNTC’s Press Office on:
+974 4499 7882 or +974 3392 4466 | pressoffice@visitqatar.qa
About Summer in Qatar (SiQ)
Summer in Qatar forms part of QNTC’s strategy to enrich and diversify the country’s tourism offering, particularly in the area of family and urban entertainment. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of partners in both the public and private sector, Qatar has become a popular year-round destination since the launch of the first summer program known as ‘Qatar Summer Festival’ in 2014.
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