Traveling abroad comes with a wide variety of perks. Taking the occasional vacation has been proven to be beneficial for the mind, body, and soul. It’s important, whenever leaving the country, that you ensure all your ducks are in a row and you know what to expect. As far as Qatar is concerned most visitors that are planning to stay for any lengthy period of time are required to obtain a tourist visa in order to enter and stay in the country.
So, can a tourist visa be extended in Qatar? Yes. Not only is it possible to extend a tourist visa, but it’s easy. If you’re a citizen of the United States you can apply for a max of one 30-day extension. This can be done in person at the Ministry of Interior Immigration Office (MOI), which is conveniently located inside the airport or even online.
As of April 2020, and due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Interior has waived the requirement of visitors extending tourist visas or paying fees until airports in other countries begin to open again.
Who Needs To Get A Tourist Visa In Qatar?
Fortunately not everyone that comes to Qatar is required to get a tourist visa. You should only be required to get a tourist visa if you plan to be in Qatar for longer than 2 weeks (14 days). In order to get one of these visas you will need what is sometimes referred to as a “sponsorship” from a Qatari resident, a company, or a licensed hotel.
If you know you will be in the country for more than a couple of weeks you can even pre-apply for a tourist visa online prior to your arrival. Qatar also offers a visa on arrival option for citizens from over 85 different countries.
What country you are from will determine how long your visa can be issued for, either 180 days or 30 days. If you’re coming from the United States you should be able to have a visa issued upon arrival that will allow you to stay in Qatar for 30 days. Additionally you will also be able to get one extension for an additional 30 days, so a total of 60 days max.
In order to improve the ease of access and encourage tourism, Qatar initiated the allowance of visa-free entrance from certain countries in 2017, with the United States being one of them. If you qualify for visa-free entry you may not need to apply for a visa at all. For US citizens you should be able to simply get a visa waiver when you arrive at the airport.
All you will need for this waiver is to provide a passport valid for at least 6 months and an onward or return flight ticket proving that you’ll be leaving within 30 days. You are also able to get one 30 days extension for this waiver should the need arise. This visa waiver and the extension should be free of charge.
What Happens If I Overstay My Qatar Tourist Visa Or It Expires?
Should you find yourself in a situation where you are required to get a tourist visa and for some reason forget to request an extension in time you will need to be prepared to pay some fines. The Qatari government can charge up to $55 for every day that you’re there after your visa has expired.
Since you are able to sign up for an extension online it may be a good idea to set a reminder or alarm on your phone so you won’t have to worry about running into this predicament. This fine can go up to as much as $3,300, so make sure to take care of it asap to avoid extra unnecessary expenses.
Need More Information?
If you’re not sure of the exact process you will need to go through to get a tourist visa, or if you will even need one, you should consult with the Qatari government’s site. They will have the most reliable and up-to-date information that you will need for your visit to Qatar. There are also occasional caveats that occur, as we have seen with the recent pandemic, that may cause the country to be a bit more lax (or strict) on their requirements for entry into and even exit from the country.
Whenever planning a trip abroad it’s important to gather all the information that will be necessary to ensure that you don’t hit any snags on your trip. Knowing what to expect will help make sure that you take all the required steps to guarantee stress-free entry into Qatar. If you’re planning a trip to spend just a few days in Qatar, there probably won’t be too many hoops you will need to jump through to get into this beautiful country.