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Qatar is known for changing its visa laws often to make the process of immigration much safer without compromising its swiftness. An example of this can be observed with Qatar recently changing its eligibility criteria for Indian nationals traveling to the country. The article will help you check out the new eligibility criteria for Indian traveling to Qatar and get to know what changes you’ll observe in the immigration process if you're traveling to the country after May 2022.

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Qatar’s New Visa Policy for Indian Travelers

Qatar has recently introduced a big change in its visa policy concerning the Indian travelers who are eligible for getting a visa on arrival. According to this policy, it is mandatory for an Indian national to pre-book a hotel in Qatar to get a visa on arrival. Here are some additional conditions attached with the new visa policy.

  • The hotel must be booked for the entire duration of the trip
  • The booking will hold its validity only if it is made through Discover Qatar.

Now a question arises - do you need to book a hotel if you have a friend or family staying in Qatar? And the answer to this question is - YES. Every Indian has to book a hotel even if he has a relative, family member, or friend residing in Qatar.

Countries Covered Under Qatar's New VOA Policy

Qatar’s new visa-on-arrival policy is not confined merely to Indian travelers. Here is the list of countries that are subject to this visa policy.

  • India
  • Pakistan
  • Nepal
  • Bangladesh
  • Philippines

Population Composition of Qatar

Here is the composition of Qatar’s population.

Nationality

Share in the population (in %)

Indians

24

Arab

13

Nepali

16

Filipino

11

Bangladeshi

5

Sri Lankans

5

Visa on Arrival Extension Policy in Qatar

A visa on arrival can now be extended if you need some additional days to stay in Qatar. The on-arrival allows a stay of a maximum of 30 days starting from the date of issue. However, it is possible to get your visa extended for another 30 days.

New Requirements for a Qatar Visa on Arrival for Indians

If you are an Indian national looking forward to applying for a visa on arrival to Qatar, here are the requirements that you must fulfill in order to get a visa.

  1. It is mandatory for your passport to have the remaining validity of 6 months
  2. Your return flight tickets must be confirmed
  3. All the travelers applying for a visa on arrival must be fully-vaccinated with any COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Ministry of Public Health. Also, the last dose must be taken at least 14 days before the date of arrival in Qatar.
  4. You need a negative RT-PCR test report taken not more than 48 hours from the date of departure.
  5. It is mandatory to register on Ehtraz to obtain an e-approval from the Ministry of Public Health

Reasons for the New Visa Policy in Qatar

After the global pandemic, Qatar is now reopening to tourists. This decision of changing the visa-on-arrival policies was quite surprising for Indian travelers. The authorities call this decision a step towards promoting tourism in the country. This statement is backed by the authorities trying to lure Indian visitors through roadshows to encourage more and more travelers to visit the country after the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to Get a Qatar Visa on Arrival

A Qatar visa on arrival can be obtained at the kiosk at the Qatar airport. You can get an application form, fill it out, pay the visa fee, and get your visa on arrival. But be ready to encounter long queues at every counter to you need to go. Getting a VOA is a time-consuming process, which is now complemented by the new additions in the visa laws and thus, we recommend you get a Qatar e-visa to make your journey much more convenient.

You can visit Qatar E-Visa Online to get your Qatar e-visa. Our website provides the simplest and the quickest way to get a Qatar visa as our website is extremely simple to use. We have been a visa partner to more than 500k travelers and made their dreams of visiting Qatar a reality. Our vision of “three 100s” i.e 100% success rate, 100% accuracy, and 100% assurance has made us the #1 Qatar visa consultants online and we’re working hard to provide unparalleled visa services to our customers.

READ ALSO: QUARANTINE HOTELS IN QATAR

In The End

There’s a question mark on if Qatar’s new visa policy will be a success or not but one thing that we know is that the process is getting much more demanding. Having a helping hand can take away all the complexities and that’s what we specialize in! Get in touch with us today to get your Qatar visa online.

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