Qatar Family Visit Visa Application Process and Fees

A non-native resident of Qatar may apply for a family visit visa to invite their family members to visit them there. This trip can be for the sponsored family members to see their Qatar-based relative for a short while, spend some time with them and explore Qatar. 

This article will surely help you to know more about the “Qatar family visit visa”. 

What is a family visit visa for Qatar?

One of the visas available to travelers who want to visit their family living in Qatar is the Qatar family visit visa. With this visa, a family member who resides in Qatar can invite their relatives who reside elsewhere to spend time with them in Qatar.

When they visit their relatives, they will also be able to explore Qatar. 

Age requirements for a family travel visa to Qatar.

The minimum age to be eligible for a family visit visa is 60 years old. If a person is over 60, online app like Metrash2 won’t accept their application. 

But, in this situation, you have the option of applying for a visa upon arrival or obtaining a fast visa at the airport bureau of immigration. Also, you can request a special permit from the directors of the immigration department if your relative is above 60 years old.

Application for a family visit visa to Qatar online

In the past, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) service center was the sole place to apply for a family visit visa. However, since the implementation of an online application system in 2018, Qatar has permitted residents to apply for family visit visas through the online platform Metrash2 app or the Ministry of Interior (MOI).

Submission of application through the Metrash2 App

1. You need to download and log in to the Metrash2 app. 
2. Then select the “Visa” icon. 

3. After that, click the “Family Visit” and then “Issue Visa” icons.

4. From the drop-down option, choose “Family Visa Application.”

5. Choose “New Application” and accurately enter all of the visitor’s private information, like gender, date of birth, affiliation, passport information, etc.

6. To continue, choose “I agree with the veracity of the data.”
7. The system will now prompt you to “Upload the Visitors documents,” which should include a copy of your passport, and birth certificate. Make sure the documents’ scan results or images are readable and clear.
8. Add all necessary papers, then select “Next.”
9. As a last step in the procedure, confirm that all your papers have been uploaded.

Once the request has been accepted and validated, you will immediately receive registration details, so you may continue with the fee payment. The applicant will be informed of any missing documents if there are any.

When applying through the MOI website, you need to follow the following procedure. 

1. You need to download the application form through the MOI website. 
2. Submit the application form offline in the MOI service center. 

Application form download procedure through the MOI website 

1. First, you need to visit the MOI website.
2. Then you need to click on Visa Entry Permits which appears on the home page of the website. 

3. Then you will find department forms under which there are “by category” and “by department”.

4. Select “by category” and click overview. In the overview, you will find visa services, click that. 

5. In visa services the second option is “Family Visa Application Form”, click on it and download the application form or you can simply find it here. 

Application for a family visit visa to Qatar made offline

1. After downloading the application form, you need to fulfill all the said requirements that are given in the form and submit it to the Ministry of Interior service center. 
2. The counter clerk may choose to accept the paperwork or may leave a comment requesting that you consult the officer for finalization.
3. At an interview, the officer will question you about why you are in Qatar and your connection to the sponsor. You’ll get a receipt if the officer is happy with your responses.
4. You can use the link on the receipt to check the status of your Qatar family visit visa online. Also, the Metrash 2 program allows you to check the status of your visa.
5. Visit the MOI office once the visa has been approved and turn in your receipt.

You can now need to deposit the booking fee at the facility or you can pay online using the Metrash 2 app after submitting the receipt.

After paying the money, you will receive a printed document of your family visit visa. You can now purchase the flights for your guests.

Documents needed for Family visit visa 

• For direct family members

1. A photocopy of the candidate’s Qatar ID.
2. A duplicate of the guest’s passport
3. Evidence of Relationship 
4. Employer’s letter of approval 
5. Work agreement
6. A copy of the business card
7. Round-trip transportation costs
8. Valid health insurance in Qatar

• For Infants

1. Authentic passport of the infant 
2. Genuine birth certificate 
3. Photo of the infant 
4. Photocopy of applicants’ residence permit and their mother’s visa

• For potential relatives

1. A duplicate of the applicant’s Qatari ID.
2. A copy of the passport of the visitor
3. A copy of the wife’s Qatari ID (if she is a resident)
4. Evidence of Relationship 
5. Employer’s letter of disapproval citing occupation and pay
6. Round-trip flight tickets with a photocopy of the company card
7. Valid health insurance in Qatar

Insurance for a family visit visa to Qatar

According to the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), international residents and visitors to Qatar will both need to purchase health insurance beginning on February 1, 2023, to cover their whole stay. It is a means of kicking off the first stage of Qatar’s mandated Health Insurance System.

According to the official release, this is being done to offer visitors health insurance that protects them while they are here. Also to give visitors access to first-rate medical treatment. The Ministry emphasized that individuals could select a registered insurance provider using the links on the MOPH website. 

The Ministry will grant the relevant visit visa following the issuance of the health insurance plan by the chosen insurance provider. The visitor’s date of entry at any perimeter determines the start date of coverage.

Each guest who wants to stay longer in Qatar must purchase a new insurance plan. The mandatory insurance premium is QAR 50 per month.

How to track the progress of your family visit visa to Qatar?

You can track the progress of your family visit visa to Qatar on the MoI website. 

1. Go to the Visa Enquiry Services  
2. Then, go to Visa Approval Tracking. There you may see the current status of your visa for a family visit to Qatar. 

You can track the status of your visitor’s visa. For that, you have to enter all the necessary information. Applicants frequently can’t understand the status of their applications for a visit visa. Hence, every visa application will typically undergo the steps of “under process” and “under review.” 

It is okay if your application switches between these two; there’s no need to get alarmed. Most of the time, the request is approved shortly after the amendment is made.

Validity of Qatar family visit visa 

The Qatar family visit visa is initially valid for one month. The “visa validity” date will be printed on top of the visa once it has been accepted. That date is the last date for the visitor to enter Qatar. But the validity can be extended for direct family members (i.e, spouse, child, father, mother) up till six months. 

Furthermore, the validity can be prolonged for relatives by up to two months, making their total time of stay 3 months.

Before extending their visa, relatives who intend to stay for more than a month must get a medical exam. The cost of a medical exam for a visa extension is QAR 100.

Medical Requirements for Qatar Family Visa 

The medical examination may be completed at any moment before the visit visa expires. It is advisable to update the test results as soon as possible, preferably within the first 15 to 20 days. As it could take up to three working days. Moreover, the tests may be performed in licensed primary healthcare facilities.

• Documents that are needed for Medical Tests 

1. Original visitor’s passport
2. Need to give a cell phone number to call in case of an emergency and a photocopy of the visitor’s visa
3. Use a debit or credit card to pay the costs.

• Medical Test Result 

The medical test result comes out in a day but it may get delayed by 3 days. 

If you have the Metrash2 app on your phone then you can easily get the result through SMS. But if you do not have one then you can check the medical test result on the MOI website here.

Qatari visa extension for family visa 

There are two ways to extend your one-month Qatar family visit visa:

1. Bring your passport and return ticket to the Ministry of Immigration’s office or MoI Service Center. 

• You need to pay QAR 200 (USD 54), as the visit visa renewal price.
•  The renewal price is QAR 200 per month for each additional month. 

2. You can extend your visa using this link on the Ministry of Interior website.

Salary requirements for Qatar family visit visa 

For immediate family members, Qatar’s family visit visa requires a minimum salary of QAR 5,000. (USD 1,373).

For other relatives, a family visit visa in Qatar entails a minimum salary of QR 10,000. (USD 2,746). The senior official of the Ministry of Interior acknowledged this condition in November 2021.

Qatar family visit visa denial 

Visa allows a traveller to enter a foreign country. It is a document that approves people going back and forth between countries. But if the visa is denied then that is not possible. Few reasons why a family visit visa can be rejected are as follows: 

1. If the visa is not specified. While applying for a family visit visa you need to specify the category. You need to make sure you are identified for a family visit visa. Or else the visa won’t be approved. 
2. If the purpose of travel is not specified.
3. If the sponsor does not have strong ties to the family member.
4. If there is no blatant proof of leaving for the nation of origin.
5. If there aren’t enough financial documents available.
6. Not enough details
7. False or inadequate documentation

In the instance, if your application for a Qatar family visa residence is denied, you must go to the Gharafa Immigration Office and ask to meet with the visa approval committee.

You must bring a copy of the receipt for the visa application since they will preserve the original receipt and only give you the copy on which the meeting date is noted.

You will be granted a date for your appointment with the visa-approving authority if there are no severe issues with your supplied documents. The committee will inquire about your qualifications and career on the meeting date.

In case they ask, bring the originals of everything you filed, including your academic transcripts. In two days, assuming everything is in order, you will receive the approval.

How much does a family visit visa in Qatar cost?

The following are the visa fees throughout the complete application process:

1. Fee for Online and Offline Application for Qatar Family Visa: QR 200
2. Medical Exam: QR 100
3. Qatar Identification Card (for a Year): QR 500

Is it possible to convert your family visit visa to a resident visa for Qatar?

It is possible to convert your family visit visa to a resident visa in Qatar. But to do that, you must seek approval from the Ministry of Interior and have a salary of at least QR 10000. 

Cost of converting a family visa to a residential visa

You must pay QAR 200 to change your family visitation status to that of a residence visa, and QAR 500 to obtain a visa without leaving Qatar. 

There will be a fee of QR 100 for each person’s medical test. It is an important document to change your family visa to a resident visa. Then you just need to apply for the resident visa and attach the required documents with the form. The process may take 3 to 4 working days. For a year of Resident Permit, you will be paying QAR 500.

Do you need to make a hotel reservation in Qatar before applying for a family visit visa?

A confirmed hotel reservation is required for your stay in Qatar. Without a confirmed hotel reservation in Qatar, a family visit visa won’t be approved. 

Can someone with a family visit visa find employment in Qatar?

Someone with a family visit visa can not find employment in Qatar. They are only permitted to stay in Qatar for 3 months if a relative and 6 months if a direct family member. 

Verdict

For quick acceptance, a family visit visa to Qatar must be applied very carefully. This visa will enable your family to visit you and take in the sights of Qatar.

Through this article, you have surely been able to learn about the “Qatar Family Visit Visa”.