Changes for Visa on Arrival

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but now all are changed ?

Hi

Anyone knows if we can get visit visa on arrival on pakistani passport having indefinate new zealand permanent residency?

the countries whose citizens can get visa on arrival can be found by just googling.

Come on guys, Nigerians can come in freely! :)

micheal anunwa I think you mean Nigeria? If so then NIC is spot on..NO

michael anunwa,

The answer is NO.

You must apply for it in advance.

can a nigria passport holder get visa on arival in qatar

I think it's common knowledge now that Qatar did not implement it's more restrictive visa process (at least for the USA). So, Americans still can get their visas upon entry to the country.

Hi everyone,

im pretty sure Qatar doesnt have an embassy in ireland and Qatar doesnt have an irish embassy. How can I get my family to visit? Any ideas?

Andy

Nothing changing......all this discussion for nothing :-P

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&month=April2010&file=Local_News2010041915436.xml

Wonder if the "shoe-bomb" event that took place in the US (on flight) last week will have any impact on the whole visa situation....

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/987639

Hmmmm.....

It should not be a deal breaker to those who wish to travel. Plan accordingly, do your research. The internet and Embassy websites should tell you all you need to know. Email, telephones and FEDEX will all come into play in making this relatively painless. I have traveled to many countries and this is common practice to have a VISA before you depart home. Failing to plan is an individuals choice. Think about it.

Ask for it next time you want to apply for a UK Visa. Other nationalities need to have made multiple visits to UK in recent years to apply for one, but for Qatari Nationals they are eligible to apply for one right at the start. Of course your passport needs to be valid for that time period also.

deepb! I've never heard of 5-10yr UK visas!

If it weren't for the racist fear of Arabs, in US or European countries Qatari's would definitely be given that option. But right now it is a "safety" issue. But, UK embassy does issue 10/5 year visa's for Qatari's. So one visit to the visa center in 5 or 10 years isn't that much of a discomfort.

Wonder what is the maximum period a visit visa to Qatar will be valid for?

Looks like Peninsula reporters must be salivating looking at the discussion going on here. A good topic for them to report in their newspaper....

Come to think of it. I actually think Qataris should have a visa on arrival in Europe and the US. What do they go to Europe and the US for? To have holidays, seeing a doctor etc. They spend a lot of money. They should be welcomed .

There are a lot of nationalities that go to Europe to sponge off the system. Those need to be stopped.

What comes around, goes around....

Don....if your country allows qataris a visa on arrival then you are allowed one on arrival (if your one off the 33 countries)....a lot of those 33 countries require Qataris to apply for visas prior to travelling...I've checked with the NZ Embassy in Saudi (our closest one) and they haven't heard anything official but if the news bytes are to be believed then kiwis are fine as NZ gives qataris a 3 month visa on arrival in NZ

Yep Don end of the visa run. Either the company gets it converted to a proper business visa ( for the bachelor ) or work visa with family visa ( for the family members) or they say bye bye.

It applies to 33 countries. Check the embassies to know if they are included.

maybe they want to curb these visa runs. Take it with the Dubai police chiefs statement regarding a lot of Mossad activists working in the middle east with the cover of western passports, things really look rosy for the future.

Wonder how many of the westerners in QL are Mossad moles.

So reading it all....

Does it mean that Visa-Runs is a thing of the past for those currently in Qatar?

And that they will lose their job and go home for good?

What about those that are non-US/UK? i.e. Australian, New Zealanders, etc? Do they have to apply visas from their home countries before they arrive?

Guess I'll be busy attending their farewells soon.....

I do, thank you, I mean an "Indonesian visa" in Bali.

Mandi

UKEng and Mandi, just a little correction if I may.

There's no such thing as 'Bali Visa'. I'm sure you meant INDONESIAN Visa.

Cheers, Sampai Jumpa.

SK

For US and UK thats the price you pay for development.For Bali thats the price you pay for destruction

25$ for 30 days is still quite reasonable for Bali Visa on arrival. Darn US charges us nearly 150$ for visit visa and the UK charges us around 100$.

Mandi, Just to correct you that Bali charges for Visa on Arrival.

-----------------

Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Nic, your point is well taken. You just started making strange assumptions that weren't totally true.

You poor judge of character! FYI, I'm the most crazily childish QLer. It's good for the heart to stay as such. Children are the closest to God.

Kindly spare me a long lecture on the connotations of Child vs. Childish, will ya?

No hard feelings. Smile..:)

Thanks

Salaam

Happy Happy,

I am sorry, if I went too far with you. It wasn't my intention as I do have great respect for you from the posture you project here.

And of course, I don’t need to mention, I have great respect and admiration for Egypt and India. My intention was only to explain why certain countries are more likely to be asked for visas.

To illustrate my point, I should have given you a neutral example: Hong Kong. Even though Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, Chinese citizens from the Main Land of China are still required to apply for a visa to visit Hong Kong. The reasons are similar to the ones I was trying to explain you.

Anyway, the situation will get clearer and soon it will all be forgotten as a new requirement.

Hope that you take my apology, I will still continue to read your wise, pragmatic and objective posts.

;)

I have always got my Mum & Son's visa from Hukoomi website prior to them coming here except once when Mum was travelling back with us for her holiday. It was too much of an hassle getting it on arrival, as our bank had problems and we couldn't use our visa card, so I prefer to get the visa prior to arrival from the Hukoomi website. Yes it seems to be open 24/7, as I've even got one in the early hours of the morning. Not sure though if we will still be able to do that when it changes from the 1st May, just have to wait and see.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/qatar

*********************

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Hmmm, Turkey is a place I wanted to visit. Sri Lanka is another. But kinda scared of the security issues. I'll stick to European countries till I get over my fear :P

I guess it depends on your passport. I can get a free visa to Thailand, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Bali and anywhere in Europe. Jordan, Egypt and Turkey charge nominal fees. Syria is expensive for US citizens.

Mandi

Hey mandi, can you share which places offer cheaper tourist visas ? Nothing related to this topic, I'm just looking for different places to visit :)

Thank you, bleu and Marjorie, for the link. This will obviously make it a whole lot easier (please hukoomi, make sure the website IS up and functioning 24/7). My 2 cents worth for visas - India charges US citizens $150 per person for a tourist visa. I prefer to take my $300 in savings for my husband and myself to vacation elsewhere. Just an economic choice since I think that India is probably the most amazing place I've ever been.

Mandi

there is nothing secure about any of the passports. it was only recently that passports have become tough to clone.

Holders of certain passports are granted visas on arrival because their countries’ passports are inherently more secure than those from poorer nations.

There is no comparing a Pakistani passport for a US one, as an example

The last time I checked, a Qatari passport didn’t contain a biometric chip, floating holographic images, micro printing, UV light waves, translucent laminates, complex watermarks, micro offset printing, and the other features that are now standard in passports from affluent countries.

If Qataris are expecting to get visas on arrival in western countries they could start by producing quality, world standard passports, not the library card style ones they currently use, which are easily forged.

Em... Andcat, Qatari's do need a visa prior to arrival in India. I think it's required in Philippine and Nepal also. I don't think there are many countries where Qatari's are given visa on arrival other than the GCC.

The world cup bid is just a publicity stunt. They have no chance of winning it, unless they bribe Fifa officials.

Nic, I know it hurts, but you'll get used to it, I promise. And since I'm principle-based, I stand by my " equality" notion and well realize there would realistically always be variations and privileges.

Let's not get personal please, I'm not for that at all, and will keep enjoy readying your provocative posts. But don't over do it.

I hope everyone stays happy, you can apply online now.

Salaam

Qataris need to have a visa before travelling to India.

I bet Qataris don't need a VISA prior to arrival in India or Nepal or the Philipines but.....low and behold, all of those countries citizens have needed Visas to come to Qatar for years.

Another nail in the coffin for this country as a world player which is sad as many of us enjoy it here.

It truely is becomming more of a laughing stock every year.

World Cup 2022! Yeah right.....bring your own VISA, alcohol (oh yeah, you can't, nor can you buy it as a visitor outside a hotel) and make sure you cover your flesh in public.....yeah right in 40deg weather that will be case during the world cup...

Thanks Majorie for posting a link.

They can apply online for the visa before coming.

Happy Happy,

You missed my point here. Being legal here, it has no impact on me or my family's current status in Qatar. We are not discussing the issue at any personal level, mine or yours.

Reacting to your joy for this "equal" visa requirement, I was just reminding you why Qatar was asking Egyptians to get a visa before arrival and didn’t do the same to other 30 countries.

It is obvious that what I told you is well known for you but understandably, your pride won’t allow you to admit here. Its OK, you don’t have to!

When I said that those "affluent" countries had less poverty and better social security systems than Egypt or India, I just meant that. I didn’t mean that their entire population was rich and happy.

One more thing, as you well know, your exposure to Europe is obviously an insufficient amount to be statically classified as a significant representative sample and therefore any conclusions you may have based on that are insignificant and worthless.

Hope you got it now ;)

Oh and Nic, although I did't have to visit the Qatari Embassy, but wanted you to know that it's 15 minutes away from where I live back home.

Basically Qatar finishes all my and family's paperwork before arrival to work in Doha. I'm needed not needy.

I hope your countries will work on opening branches for the comfort of the flocks working here.

Salaam

I think its a well thought out decision guided by Financial Considerations. All World knows that Europe is facing financial uncertainities and is likely to experience social turbulence / unemployment in future. So Qatar Wanted to Control the Free-Flow of Europen Nationals to Qatar for employment and otherwise. Similar measures can be expected from all other GCC countries shortly.

Nic, in my recent visit to Europe, I cannot count the number of European professionals who "nagged" me for wanting to submit their CVs for them anywhere in ME, especially in the Arab Gulf. My European colleagues have been complaining, for sometime now, about tax, high rent, lower income, astronomical monthly bills, they no longer able to afford, to live properly.

I'll no more frown at Qatar for catering for whome I've previously called on QL "their new friends", in this context. And loving this new law, sorry if some cannot cope to live without your colonial ideologies. Get down to earth buddy!

Peace

Salaam

know I no why we have many phile & nipali on the street......lol (WMR)

Anyway for all American, they can get a 10 years visa thru the Q-embassy in DC for around $400....

I don't think Egypt or India should be given visa on arrival either. Visa on arrival should be an arrangement between two governments to help their own citizens. They probably revoked these 33 countries visa on arrival since it was being misused ( The visa run to Bahrain or Dubai is clearly one instance)

Happy Happy and Whyteknight,

The reason why Egyptian and Indian Passport holders need to apply for a visa to come to Qatar and countries like US, Canada, UK, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, etc, don’t need is probably because Egypt and India have a huge percentage of population living in extreme poverty, their social security system is either inexistent or is unable to take care of their less favored ones and many other reasons that put these two countries in a very different position from the others I mentioned above.

These differences, as you well know, force people to seek (some times desperate solutions) and illegal immigration is one of their often attempted way out.

Now seriously, do you think if Egypt or India weren’t required visas to come to Qatar, we wouldn’t see an exodus of population of these two countries into Qatar?

As you can notice, this does not happen with the other mentioned countries, because these mentioned countries offer better quality of life than Qatar!

Anyway, this is no news for none of us. It is sad, we all know that. The world would be much better and fair if India and Egypt did offer their population in general a standard of living close to what Japan, US, Australia, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, South Korea, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, etc, do. And in that case, we could then be all here happily defending and supporting your theories of "equality" and “tit for tat”.

PS. Joke or not, The Gulf Times will have to further explain their vague and unsubstantiated article!

John....not only in Qatari Sense of Humour, but in US & UK Embassies as well.

------------------------------------------------------ Whenever I find the Key to Success, Someone Steals it.

Awww, if it was a joke, it would show a deliciously wicked sense of humour.

What comes around, goes around....

If it looks like and April Fool's joke, the reporters would have to face the music. Most of the embassy staff also would be red-faced. When GT has not yet brought out a version saying that it was an April Fool's joke, its difficult to write it off as well. It was also reported in one or two local arabic newspapers as well.

Yes that is true, Maybe an April Fool joke, why it is no where in any other newspaper than GT., or even not on the e-gov. site or at least on the site of the ministry of Interior latest news.

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

Yes, Yes, Yes, I agree with you, that Europeans spend more than 10 Indians together.

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

Maybe it was what I suspected, a 1st of April joke.

What comes around, goes around....

This will remain the same, if you have a GCC visa, you can get a visa on arrival,

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

well...unless it's actually imposed,i don't see a reason why are you whining about it

All those theories & analysis And yet not a single official press release except for the GT article

Not even in Qatar news agency web site: http://www.qnaol.net/QNAEn/Pages/default.aspx

Anybody has seen that one of the 33 countries granted free entry visa is the Vatican?

Why I can not see a lot of Vatican citizens? Where are they? Has anybody seen them?

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

Yes that is ture and more over Qataris still do not have the experience and the patience of the ex-part

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

I know what you meant and maybe Qatar will lose out a bit but then I don't expect people in power to be too bothered about it.

Whyteknight: It is not a matter of SHOULD. Everyone and every country SHOULD be treated equally. My point is about the realities of the situation and how Qatar is essentially shooting itself in the foot with the notion that it can be in some sort of reciprocal relationship with countries that are much larger and more important in terms of global political and economic weight. The only people that lose out with this move is Qatar as a whole and the people from these 33 countries who are probably fond of Qatar and have no influence on their home countries' policies. For the sake of reciprocity and a bit of Qatari ego an awful lot of people will suffer (and certainly not the officials in any of the countries making the decisions, who get waved straight through immigration).

Bleu: lol! Unfortunately, in this size does matter. Long-term visas are probably uniform across virtually every country--e.g. tons of paperwork and dependent on professional and family need (nothing to do with reciprocity).

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

Why Qatar has no embassy in Lisbon Portugal?

Why no Qatari citizen comes to Portugal?

Whose fault is this?

How are we going to solve this problem?

Ms. Sirina Kandioglou-Zeimpari.

Genesis, I received two messages from the US Embassy in Qatar about it yesterday. I think they are very concerned, too.

Mandi

So what linc is saying is, since US are number 1 in GDP, Americans should be allowed to enter any country, lol.. What sort of logic is that???

linc, we already have reciprocity with the US on 10-year visas... I just hate it when you bring in size. SIZE DOES NOT MATTER. :)

what i can't seem to understand, why is this only on gulf times Was this published in other local english newspaper? there is nothing about it in the arabic dailies either!

Yes conferences will be a problem and as for the world cup, can they explain

to FIFA how they will handle a million visa requests?

If this is reallly true for Qatar it is a backwards step.

Reciprocity makes sense only when the two nations in question are relatively equal. While Qatar might be in the same league as some of the bottom of the 33 countries in question, it is not remotely on a par with places like the EU and US, which ranked first and second last year in GDP.

Take the US for example. Qatar was 56th in GDP at 1/145 the size of the US. Qatar depends heavily on the US (and other members of the 33 countries) for professionals that run the oil and gas industry, financial industry, higher education, defense, etc. If you are wondering about the “defense” issue, ask yourself how long a tiny, natural-resource rich, militarily nonexistent country in the Middle East would last without Western military backing? Kuwait learned the hard way in 1990. For the US government Qatar is little more than an airstrip for its military and source of revenue for some of its oil companies that produce and distribute Qatar’s natural resources to other nations. The US, which overtook Russia to be the largest producer of natural gas last year, does not rely on Qatar for its energy needs. And if all the Qataris were to leave the US, do you really think anyone in the US would notice?

Is this inequality between the US and Qatar fair or just? ABSOLUTELY NOT! But then is it fair that Qatar exploits the inequality between it and countries like Sri Lanka and Sudan? If Nepal suddenly decided to offer a visa-on-arrival for Qataris, would Qatar do the same? Of course not. Nepal, by the way, is almost identically as far below Qatar in the national rankings for GDP as Qatar is behind the EU and US.

So a policy of reciprocity simply makes Qatar look naïve. The US will not change its policy, because there is no way a sitting US government would want the political fallout from home of giving automatic visas to an Arab country. Again, racist and unfair on the part of the US, but that is the reality. In the end, the change in visas will hardly affect countries like the US; it will only hurt the tiny handful of the 330 million American citizens who know where Qatar is and are interesting in coming here. For Qatar this will hurt all of the international conferences that newspapers like the Gulf Times loves to run stories on and job recruitment in places like the US and EU. Even with massively higher salary offers, coming to this country is a tough sell to the vast majority of Westerners. Once they visit here most seem to like it and find the people polite, welcoming and intelligent, but visa hassles will only act to ward people off. Besides, does anyone here honestly believe this country’s foreign embassies will be prepared to deal with the initial onslaught of visa requests? The inefficiency will only put big question marks in peoples minds about the ability of this country to host major events. Forget the Olympics or World Cup.

Yes, Bleu is right. People will still come, but when faced with this additional hassle, I imagine it will be far fewer and lower in quality.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

Any 1 knows what will be rules for the people having residence visa in GCC, as of this moment they get visa on arrival no matter what nationality they have.

Please if someone knows about this, assist me,I have to travel every week from Dubai to Doha.

Yep true. I do agree to that nomerci

whyte, yes, if yoy are talking "Joy Alukkas " and such establishments. Of course Indians spend more money there than Westerners. Simply because this kind of Jewelry is not to their taste. Ask Jewelers that sell styles more in accordance with Western taste, you will get a very different answer.Jewlry is less xpensive here that in the West, so people that come here to visit will buy here.

On the other hand, Westerners, in general, do not tend to be ostentatious and over accessorize.

What comes around, goes around....

roberto just go and ask any Jeweller who spends how much at their shops if you don't believe me. Eating at fancy restaurants or drinking at bars is much cheaper.

If you are willing to bet, I am more than willing to take this bet ;)

Yeah why stop for a couple of days on your to KL when you have to a visa for the trip. Pride will cost the economy money and goes against the diversification policy of the country.

To answer the other point as it has been claimed in other threads the westerners earn on average many multiples of their Asian colleagues. So I don't see how an Indian family with a total income of 7000 a month will have friends that will spend more than a westerner who will spend that in less than 2 weeks and visit more regularly

When Education City brings in a visitng professor or prospective job candidate they pay full-fare Business Class, usually on Qatar Airways, several nights in a 4-5 star hotel, a driver for a few days, and all meals. And as I mentioned previously there are over 100 visitors to EC a week! Obviously all short notice visits will not be possible as will all visits by persons who cannot give up their passport for a week. I cannot imagine Ramadan/Eid. And no one who is not in their home country will be able to come to Qatar, say a Brit who is traveling in India. He/she will not be able to stop in Qatar without going back to the UK and surrendering his/her passport. I am also aware of several businessmen who are here on secondment and work on a business visa. Their wives are here and have been doing the Bahrain visa run. I presume we will lose these workers as well.

Mandi

Nope roberto. Indians spend much much more on Gold. A visiting Indian family infact will spend more than an average western family.

Yes they do matter. How much does one westerner spend here visiting family? I would wager 10 to 100 times what one Indian family spends in a month

yes they do, as they are the ones actually spending money.

What comes around, goes around....

Only the noumber f westerners that come will reduce.

For other nationalities it doesnt matter.

Western tourists dont matter much her e I believe

Getting back on topic this will kill any fleging tourist industry and take money out of the economy as the friends and family who use to visit regularly will now reduce their trips or not come at all. Good for me ad more space on the flights back home.

I understand why they are doing it and I don't blame the Qatari govt on reciprocation. It is tot for tat

Genesis - "Allow me to clarify, when i wrote "everyone is replaceable" it was directed to those who thought they're doing us all a favor for being here."

Genesis, your remarks make me very sad. I have had three long-term jobs in my life and I was committed body and soul for over ten years to each of them. I loved my work, and my employers and fellow-workers were kind enough to say they loved and appreciated me. I guess you could say we were doing each other a favor, them by hiring me and me by giving my best efforts. It's never easy to take a new position, especially one that is 8,000 miles from home and I have been so grateful that our employers here in Qatar have bent over backwards to welcome us and make the experience very positive. They certainly have told us over and over that our presence here is extremely important. When you insist over and over that we are "replaceable" and when we protest that we gave up our previous life in order to share common goals with the people of Qatar you sniff and say that we think we are "doing you a favor." Well, that hurts my feelings and makes me re-think my commitment to being here. Afwan, saddiqi, I know you didn't mean it personally, just as many here on QL really don't mean Qatari-bashing to be personal, but I really feel that this "Oh, Qataris are ..." and "All expats are greedy and lazy opportunists .." is just soul-destroying. Can we all declare a truce? As bleu said, "How did this turn into us against them?" If I had any part at all in that, asfe ktir, I'm very sorry.

Mandi

Cheaper to employ expats apparantly as most Qatari Packages are far more expensive than even Western Expats.

But to require visitors who will either be staying in a 5* hotel paid by Credit Card, or with family or friends who must have a job and therefore accommodation, or be Qatari to provide bank statements to get a visa, is a bit stiff. They will likely be travelling with Travel insurance as well.

I don't mind going to the airport and paying al-maha for the visa for my guests, even happy to sponsor them by giving over my ID number. Won't it make Al-Maha a bit useless as that was really the only benefit especially since they put the price up !

oo

00

Qatarization across the board is not possible at the moment Happy Happy. Simply because Qatar doesn't have the population to fill up all the jobs opening up due to the speed of development.

Thank you for your insight & great inputs to this thread.

All me to clarify, when i wrote "everyone is replaceable" it was directed to those who thought they're doing us all a favor for being here.

when Qataris in some government corporation had their salaries deducted last year after the "general Secretariat of the ministers council" issued the unified HR law. Many Qataris threaten to leave and some of them in fact did left to other semi-private sector. This have not change the law or forced officials to amend it

Therefore, everyone is replaceable and that's including Qataris.

coming back to the main subject, It's clearly not a tit-for-tat as been assumed by many here, This could never be the government intention.

From Qatar's view, replacing an expat with another, is not an inch ahead, they'd pay more and 3 steps backwards.

But replacing an expat with a Qatari is a winner and a stride ahead, towards the right path. This is the same reason I'm pro-Qatarization, even with its current flaws. Fine by me.

Good night John of Arc..

Salaam

How hard is it to comprehend. Ok let me try again, the inference from their respective comments in bullet points.

1. Every expat can't be replaced by Qatari nationals.

2. Every expat can be replaced by some other expat.

?They are two different statements.

lol John Of Arc, why trying to turn it into something else, losing argument over this one? I didn't want them to complain earlier and I didn't expect them to complain now.

The Qataris on this thread you keep referring to are just maybe tired of the ungrateful expat workers who want to start riots to "reform" Qatar to their pleasure. I'm not Qatari, and get worked up. We need to be just and not trespass.

Salaam

Happy you are talking about replacing expats with Qataris which isn't possible at this stage while genesis & bleu were talking about replacing expats with some other expats which is always possible if you shell out enough money.

Both Happy Happy & the Qataris earlier make sense John Of Arc.

I want to add that I personally know many Qataris who're grateful for exapt workers, but they feel jealous of their huge salaries..:P

Salaam

My "contextual" non-pedantic definitions stem out of my own perception of what I think is the meaning of "replaceable" and "irreplaceable" in this context. It's not about individuals, it's about vacancies.

You may disagree, although I think I make sense.

Salaam

They were not questioning this process before when they were not affected, were they?

I know they are complaining because they will be inconvenienced. I was just needling them because most of the time the very same posters get upset claiming how rules are not same for locals and expats in Qatar. Funny to see them reacting this way when one rule is made same for all expats, looks like people only want equality when it suits them ;)

John Of Arc, money is their only weapon to use now.

I'm guessing that with the increasing number of Qatari graduates and those who've attained a degree from abroad, their appreciation of foreign workers is going to lessen, in relation to the amount of money Qatar is overspending to bring in unqualified expat workers who fill their pockets and leave their business unfinished with failed projects. It's really terrifying out there!

Let alone that many Qataris are jobless.

Salaam

But why are the people from the 33 "Affluent" countries upset if they are subjected to the same rules as other countries' nationals :-/

Contextual Definitions:

Replaceable expat: is the foreign worker whose position can be filled immediately by a Qatari.

Irreplacable exapt: is the foreign worker whose position cannot be filled immediately by a Qatari.

Use your judgment!

Salaam

Not read the whole thread, but i think this is due to what Israel has done in Dubai, those who have not been reading the news, they used European countries fake passport to enter dubai and murdered an official of Hamas,

GCC is being caution probably as of that incident.

ALLAH HU AKBAR - GOD IS GREAT

Qatar Embassy in Cyprus has an address in Egypt? I suppose it's best to fly from Cyprus to Doha, spend time in the transit lounge (Chin Chin) before travelling on to Abu Dhabi to get the tourist visa then come back into Doha,thus diverting tourist dollars to UAE hotels? ............... makes sense.

Yep, Nic I agree, most rules here are implemented with very short notice. Planning has never been Qatar's strength, to put it politely.

nomerci, people who come on visit (tourist) visas to LOOK for the job, are still ok, as long as they don't actually work. Who does violate the law are those who come to look for the job on Business visa.. or rather those who issue Business visa for non-business purposes violate the law.

Now, Visa on arrival is equivalent of the tourist visa, with only difference that you don’t apply for it in your own country prior to travelling, but rather obtain it upon arrival at the airport. And it basically means that citizens of these 33 countries get a tourist visa automatically and unconditionally upon arrival, while the citizens from the other countries who have to get their visas prior to travelling, might get rejected.

Getting visa on arrival obviously saves you time and headache. This privilege was given to 33 western countries, and again these visas are strictly for the purpose of tourism.

Now, when you come to Qatar for WORK, the Company (or your sponsor) must issue for you either:

-business visa (for the short-terms employees), or

-Work visa, based on which the residence permit is issued later, or

- Work permit for those who under their family sponsorship.

Only these three types of documents allow you work legally in Qatar.

What happened with the visa on arrival is the Companies instead of issuing Business visas for their short-terms western employees, used a visa on arrival, as it saved money and a lot of headache. Authorities decided to put an end to such practice, and to control better who is coming here for the business and who for tourism. Which absolutely right.

Each country has different visas for different purposes: Business visas, tourist visas, student visas, work visas, visas for the Medical reason, etc. And each country is expecting people to use the issued visas on their direct purpose, not to try going around and fool the government. As easy as that.

*********************

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Deepb,

The main complains here are related to how it is being introduced, short notice without proper planning, preparation and announcement.

A measure like this needs to be announced OFFICIAL and CLEARLY enough time ahead to allow the target people and nations as well as Qatar's embassies adequate preparation minimizing any negative impact.

Actually, the point made by QS sounds like a very valid reason. There are people who use visa on arrival and then start working for companies, or people on business visa who bring their wives and children with visa on arrival. It's plain and simple - illegal. This policy will make sure this is stopped.

The companies will just have to put them on work visas like it's supposed to be done. The genuine tourists will be discomforted, but then there are not many genuine tourists here and I doubt the people who are complaining here are tourists either.

But what does all that have to do with Westerners?

Ahhhhhh, ok, now the penny has dropped!

What comes around, goes around....

So, Qs, all those requests and questions on QL about obtaining a visit visa to find work ,this is actually ILLEGAL?

And the people who did this, were the reason for Qatar to implement those rules?

wow, what a surprise! ;)

What comes around, goes around....

I knew about it about a week ago..

they implement this law, because a lot of people were coming to Qatar on visa on arrival and were using it for work. Visa on arrival is a tourist visa by its nature, and holders of this visa have no right to work. This rule was abused. When company brings here secondment for short work, they must issue a Business visa for them. But Companies were ignoring this rule, as it saves a lot of money (business costs twice as much as visa on arrival plus payment to the service provider) and a lot of headache (no need government approval, application submissions, and so on). So instead of obtaining business visas, people were entering country on visa on arrival and worked here, which is a violation of the law.

The only thing I understand for sure: immigration service providers will be having much more work now, as the companies will be forced to issue business visas for all their short-term employees.. well.. not too bad for us ;)

by the way, canadians weren't mentioned in this list.. :)

*********************

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yaaaaaawn........

Since most of us are unwilling refugees from Dubai, roll on the recovery in that enlightened country!

It's not the "tourist" industry that will suffer, (what a joke!) but industry (3 months to process a RP - a total farce! - this new ruling could be the answer we are all looking for). Immature tit-for-tat - "While Nero fiddles, Rome burns".

--

NOTHING

canarybird I am extremely sorry for what happened and can understand your anger but don't you think blaming everyone is not quite the right thing to do?

Mandi/deepb ..headly was just a sign to show , there is nothing absolutely to exempt any nationality. blacksheeps are there anywhere and everywhere, US is no exemption...

Mandi.. headly may be a Paki,indian or african by origin,On arrival visa is according to the passport they are holding, not ethnicity.

______________________________________________________

"Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong"

go to bed and let mummy tuck you in

Companies would comply...It's just one more complication.

for any brits that want it

here is the page on visa requirements. you can see it contradicts itself at the top and the bottom.

http://www.qatarembassy.info/

http://www.qatarembassy.info/visa.pdf

I had to laugh at the financial requirements.

last 3 bank statements showing at lesat 850 pounds !

They must think the Uk has economic refugees want to escape for a better life in Qatar LOL

i can't wait to see how they handle the issue of the destination address not being a hotel.. mmm are you going to stay with someone who is not related to you ? mm we need proof, blood test, sample, signed affivdat.

if anyone knows what scenario is going to come up with this , let me know please, because my parents are coming out here for the birth of their only grandchild and I know qatar embassy will probably screw it up!.

Anyway damm pain in the back side announcing it so late.

my retired parents are booked to come here mid may, great if the qatar embassy screws up send your personal documents ( including your passport ) in the post back to you! they must be really stupid, everyone knows you never send passports by post. better to pick up or courier.

visa fees payable with postal order, please get into the 21st century. If i have to pay arrival visa with credit card, then we should do it at the embassy as well.

One month tourist - all nationalities: £ 20

(Please provide 3 months bank statements)

Six months tourist multi - British passport only: £ 85

(Each stay is one month only)- great if you are not a british national ( like my father !)

the above figure is from their website, but you know how things are, given that their website is not updated properly.

I think qatar airways should reimburse all tickets not used because the state didn't plan this.

if companies are unhappy about this, then maybe they should vote with their air tickets. Use qatar airways for short hauls to bahrain, UAE and get connecting flights to destinations.

Additional

if you have family who are visting you here briefly and then you all go on holiday together and fly back to doha. does that mean visa is cancelled? meaning you need several visa applications?( multiple visa only for UK passport holder )

bit of a revenue generator right ?

Canary Bird, I think you owe WhyteKnight an apology for the remarks you made about his race.It was uncalled for.

We would all be affected by this decision, especially as more time is not being given for people to adjust to the new development.

But it should not be a reason to deride a country's decision making capabilities as decisions being taken, are definitely in the best interest of the country no matter what we think.

Would this stop people from coming here to work - never.

Would people living or working here illegally regularise their stay-Yes.

Would people working in their excellent paying jobs leave Qatar because of this-No.

Do the right thing regularise your stay, get visa's when you need it.

Oh, canarybird, I am so sorry!

Mandi

Have you ever been raped in Qatar - but I have been and not reported it. See life is not so clean.

Because you made it like that I am so sad, I hope that Qatar will take repercussions

You are so wrong but looking for an excuse when your copmpany fires you. They are greedy and will sell you

The Bible. Coran and Tora will offer you parables about this and as no one is listening their downfall is programmed as agreed is the biggest sin in all religons

Why did this discussion degrade to an US vs THEM fight?

sorry Whyteknight,while what your boss in India told you was true with regard to a company,the same logic cannot be applied to human attitude,a whole community of them @ that...& once again,i'm sorry but that is NOT the attitude everywhere ONLY here in the Gulf,which might explain why one doesn't see the best professionals in their respective fields choosing to come here because they aren't respected for their abilities,take for example Mandi's husband,as a medically qualified person myself,i can tell you NO PRICE can be put on an Ivy league qualification coupled with 30 years experience in academic medicine & that is precisely what happens in these parts,a price is put on EVERYTHING because it's beyond these guys to see that certain things just can't be bought but surely you can understand that?...so yes,i'm definitely singling out,not Qatari's but ALL Gulf arabs for that attitude,elsewhere real talent is recognized & respected,please let us not confuse monetary compensation with respect,they are two completely different issues...

Ma'asalaame, Genesis, b'ashoofak badeyn.

Mandi

gadarene that's the thinking everywhere my friend. You can't single out Qataris for it.

My boss in India once gave me very good advice, never think you are bigger than the company no matter how much business you generate. You can be replaced anytime and the company will keep on doing well, just replace company with Qatar and you get the situation here.

With all due respect, all what you've written is irrelevant.

Over the past 3years on QL, I've written the most about EC. Therefore

I'm the last person to be preached about it.

Anyway, I have 2 leave now

Have a nice evening

@ whyteknight,the superority complex here isn't in thinking one is irreplaceable but in the thinking that "we have money,we can buy anything/ANYONE & hence nobody is irreplaceable."...THAT my friend is a superiority complex with a MASSIVE ego to boot...

Do you know that the average Indian has the highest computer potential in the world and the highest potential to learn foreign languages in the world. There is a background in their history

I do agree that it can get a bit difficult at times to find replacements. These days I believe I am irreplaceable for my company as the other 2 guys in my division have left and I am the only one they have to rely on for a while :D

For the issue at hand, it's got more to do with what happened in Dubai and the security concerns but that's just my opinion.

WK, we share that same history then. I was just putting it in terms of my own experience. And perhaps responding to a lot of pleas on QL from people who really do want to come and work here for reasons of their own. But I must say that in certain circles it is becoming MUCH more difficult to hire replacements.

Mandi

@ genesis,not @ all mate & no need to apologize,it's upto me to state my opinion & it's upto you to choose to read it &/or accept it or not...

Mandi most people who are here were not sitting in their previous jobs thinking about a dream move to Qatar. We were all approached, invited and urged to come here but I would be a fool to imagine that I am irreplaceable. I don't think one should carry around this superiority complex.

don't sweat it ;)

I'm sorry but i couldn't bother reading all that

No we are not but the same is to you, bringing Qataris and Arabs to Europe is extremely difficult especially after one Qatari was killed in England one year back.

How do you think I feel about that? You have no idea. However this will not heal. I lost a Qatari son even if he was not mine. However differences are not solved like this. I have things if I tell you were done here to me you will refuse to believe.

Does this shake my love of Qatar surely no

Genesis, I promise you that none of us were sitting around our universities in the US thinking about moving to Qatar. We were approached, invited and urged to come and share the vision of a world-class partnership in a part of the world that had limited access to this level of education. We share and are committed to this vision in partnership. If and when this goal is achieved, or we are no longer wanted we will happily go home! But again, that decision is up to their Highnesses.

Mandi

@ genesis,bleu "you're not doing us a favour", "everyone is replaceable", "our money can buy us anything"...this attitude & this ego, my dear Qatari friends is the reason you will NEVER be really accepted or respected on a global stage...sure,on the face of it everyone will be happy,smiley because they're taking your money,millions of it to be precise without you guys really knowing where it's actually going,so for sure,they will be nice to you on the face of it but do they REALLY respect you? The answer to that is a big NO & please don't take it personally but this world we live in will not respect ANYONE with the above mentioned attitude & ego...

Want to talk about EC? let's do that,a family friend whose daughter got into Weil Cornell here by scholarship( & those scholarships are VERY FEW in number for expats here so i don't think we need to debate her abilities),left after her first semester,on her own request & joined medical school back home in India,do you know why?...for the simple reason that Weil Cornell here doesn't use real human corpses in their anatomy classes,instead they use plastic dummies,any REAL doctor will tell you that there is no way in hell you're going to learn any real human anatomy like that because every single human body is different & even learning on real bodies doesn't prepare you completely for practice,much less these plastic dummies & why is that the case? because using human corpses for ANYTHING is considered haram in Islam,i fully respect that,but my question is,what is the point of opening a world-class medical school if you can't learn on a real human corpse??? that's the biggest reason NOT to open one,YET Weil Cornell did open here & they did because they were given an open cheque by the Govt. & they're using that money to further their REAL institute back in the US while "teaching" prospective "doctors" here through video-conference links...this young lady in question is the daughter of a very senior doctor here & he told her if she wanted to become a REAL doctor,she should go elsewhere on the contrary if all she wanted was a Weill Cornell degree with no REAL experience in medicine,she was welcome to continue here,a week later she quit & is now happily studying REAL medicine back home in India...

staff outnumber students you say,whose fault is that? If the campus here had enough locally qualified people,that wouldn't be happening...how many Qatari students in EC? again whose fault is that,the Govt. has brought these world class institutes to your doorstep(the issues with Weill Cornell are specific to them as it's a medical school,the rest have everything in place,be it Georgetown or VCU-Q)do you expect the Govt. to enroll & graduate for you as well? Is it the Govt's fault that for a majority of Qatari youth,a Govt. job with no real responsibility & no requirement to actually do much while earning a fat salary to change their land cruiser every year is ALL they aspire to? Don't blame the expats & your Govt. for your fellow brother's & sister's shortcomings mate...

NOBODY is doing ANYONE any favours is more like it mate,if you choose to view this with the perspective that the expats that are literally building this country for you brick by brick are not doing you a favour because they(well the literal labourers get peanuts for their efforts) get big expat packages to do so,i can respect that,i don't accept it but i respect it so can you accept that you aren't doing us any favours as well?...that seems fair don't you think?...we expats are here offering our services to THIS COUNTRY & IT'S RESIDENTS & in return we get paid for it,that can't be called a favour either way from your point of view mate...it's a fair give & take,can you agree to that? If so,then we can debate...

Please don't take my words out of context

I think i was very clear in what i wrote.

My message was to those who thinks that their presence in our country is doing us all a big favor.

Firstly it's almost impossible to shut me up.

Secondly I don't take orders from you.

Thirdly can you tell me why you seek preferential treatment, why not the same rules for all visitors coming to Qatar?

do you think we care?

How many Qatari students are in EC?

Last time i checked the number of staff outnumbers the number of students

To everyone else in this thread, you're not doing us a favor.

Once we all agree on that, we can then debate

Firstly I don't know why it is such a big deal.

Secondly everyone is replaceable whether they like to accept it or not..

Thirdly, don't I hear some people keep saying here how the rules should be same for everyone, now why are they themselves upset if they are not given preferential treatment, lol.. All of us are such big hypocrites...

Genesis, you may not care but I was under the impression that His Highness and Sheikha Mozha thought differently.

Mandi

I don't work for Ashgal. But the delay in D ring road commissioning involves a corrupt international company that squandered public money handed over to them on their expats staff & ended up broke.

Please let's not turn this into you vs. us...

The MOI memorandum is obviously a security measure. And not a tit for tat as been posted here

Plus i don't see a reason for the complains. Since, it's not implemented yet

quite sure the British took it off the web site today.

Can I send you a private message

They certainly may. The US will not be one of them

Mandi

We love your country because it is too hot but it also looks like Germany after the blitz. The D ringroad has been under construction since I came here - oh perhaps you are the project manager explains - but why did the not replace you?????

Of course they will you as first

Mandi, somebody WILL accept the new rules...

Most of us expats have worked all our lives for a living, many of us from the time we were young, we all had small jobs and earned money to buy our things or even to support our families or our studies.

At that time we were not garbage to our countries or to our families or foreign countries.

You against all odds in QATAR have managed to survive and may God allow you to survive in the future.

Exchange your SUV to ride a bicycle much more healthy for you - and if you are what you say you are "project manager" then you should be immediately replaced this is not futureistic thinking this is the way a deadbeat thinks.

Tough - yes for you to respect what others do foe Qatar because they kove your country

Good luck replacing my husband! You're going to find another Ivy League educated doctor who has been in academic medicine for 30 years? I don't think so! Or if you can, let me know, love to hire him/her, too!

Mandi

yes even you lol

everyone is replaceable :)

I think sometimes comments are made without really thinking what they are really saying.

Qatar will not shrink no matter what opinions on QL are. Fact is procedures will just be more difficult and people will adjust if necessary. I know many people doing visa runs because this is the easy way

Mone of the Governments from all 33 countries will be pressured into changing the visa policies because there is a reason for this. However, business will suffer and so will families this is the end result.

Like you I love being in Qatar but what to do??

Bleu, you may get your wish. I know half a dozen Brits who are working for international companies here in the Gulf (based in Qatar) with business visas. Their wives make visa runs to Bahrain monthly. Evidently no more. They will leave. Are these the kinds of ex-pats you want to see gone? The really talented ex-pats will be able to find a job anywhere! I can assure that this attempt at pressuring the US gov't to change its requirement for visas for Qataris will NOT work. (And I certainly understand that the issue is not that Qataris will enter the US and disappear into an underground economy.) Sometimes I feel like a lobster in a pot - when will the discomfort of decisions such as these outweigh my love for Qatar? I can tell you one thing - it certainly affects what I tell prospective professionals thinking of coming to Doha.

Mandi

Less people on the road is definately a good thing... If we can just get the population back to 800k it would be perfect. :P

LOSERS:

* TOURISM - Well, there's none in the first place, so it'll probably be lease affected. After all, who wants to come to Qatar for shopping if there's Dubai and when laws such as this is making it difficult for people to visit?

* GROWTH - Population will be decreased (people working on tourist visa) leading to less will be spend, thus driving down country growth

* WORKERS - With lower population/tourism, companies will start be charging more to compensate for the lost

* HOUSING MARKET - Higher vacancy rate/ lesser demand due to lesser visitors

WINNER:

* QATAR AIR - More long-haul flights for visa-runs (from UK, US, Europe etc); and deportation of workers without proper visa

* CRAZY DRIVERS - Lesser people on the road will give idiot drivers more room to play...

I didn't say it's related to terrorism desertdog. It's quite obvious it isn't. Unfortunately, these kind of rash decisions are made in Qatar all the time. Usually it is targeted at the Asian lot. This time it's aimed at the governments that don't give Qatari's visa on arrival. They think they can blackmail or force status and respect out of these governments.

I am personally devastated about this news I have to give up my home sell off all my things and move back to Dubai again just when I thought I had settled for a while and have a little relaxed time.

deepb - ive been here on and off for nearly 10 years so im well aware of the goings on here. that doesnt stop me from posing a simple question.

ur comments with respects to the reasoning behind this ruling (is it related to terrorism) are not helpful. i suggest everyone sticks to dealing in facts to avoid further distress to those that are today contemplating how they will in the future arrange the visits of their loved ones and in many cases if their loved ones can remain by their side

Yeah, the "mere mood of a couple of officials" seperates couples, destroys families, and makes it hard to keep friends. But, don't worry, it's all in consensus with the Qur'an. Qatar is an Islamic state.

I have been here for 5 years now and have enjoyed all the ups and downs the life has to offer but still loe being in Qatar. I have a home here and my car and some very nice neighbours and friends and all this will go four a mere mood of a couple of officials.

deepb

it is not all diplomats who are coming for conferences or exhibitions, but event management will go out of style there are a lot of ordinary people coming here to manage and do such things not only diplomats. I have travelled to many countries around the world and even with a British passport have still needed a visa so understand very well the hassles of getting one. The Qatar Embassies are not well equipped for this and so many visas will take months to be processes.

It just made me feel uncomfortable that the relation about terrorism on the British Embassy site was next to the news about the visas. Don't gather in big groups means no dinner and dance or Dhow trips etc. etc. it is covering people unecessarily in a shrowd of fear even if they should go to the mall when it crowded

By the way I wanted to show my neighbour the British Embassy message seems to have disappeared from the newspage.

Exactly deepb.

If the reasoning was to prevent terrorism and to strengthen the borders, then there would be NO visas on arrival. NONE.

But instead, all they have said is that country's not offering visa on arrival to Qataris will need to apply for tourist visas through the embassy.

All very petty, in my view.

Arien, I don't think that terrorist has anything to do with the current implementation. It's got more to do with tit for tat and officially; they will probably use the recent event in Dubai as an excuse. Note that they allow the countries that give Qatari's visa on arrival to still get visa on arrival here.

Oh, you mean Daood Sayed Gilani who changed his name to disguise his origins? Yeah, he's a terrorist, too.

Mandi

Pikey

David collman Headly is an American

David collman Headly is a Terrorist

David Collman Headly is in arrest at USA, not India.

______________________________________________________

"Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong"

Thank you QL for getting out this information. I mailed it immediately to several people in Education City (just in case they don't read the paper.) The unintended and negative consequences of this action are going to be staggering. For instance, say one of the university presidents in the US wants to come and visit his/her partner institution her in Qatar. Although they are required now to mail off their passport to the Qatar Embassy in Washington, that might be impossible because they are traveling and cannot be without their passports for the required amount of time. Add traveling faculty and staff and interviewees and this becomes a real nightmare. Yes, it will discourage tourism. It will really discourage co-operative education as well.

Mandi

desertdog have you been long here in Qatar? Don't you realize how things work here? They do not implement policies that benefit the country. They do not see obvious facts when its right in front of them. This action will please a lot of locals who believe in tit for tat, and hence the government will gain some support.

The policies here are not friendly for tourism by any standards. Most people who utilize these visa on arrivals are not really tourists. But, even the minority tourists who utilized it will stop now.

Canarybird - Don't worry about the olympics or fifa world cup, Qatar stands no realistic chance of winning it, unless they bribe and buy it out from the real competitors. Diplomats and special passport holders are still exempt and can still use the visa on arrival system for their conferences.

i agree with bleu in this being a national security measure. Again, Qatar is frequently visited by Iranian, syrian & Hamas officials.

deepb - which is good for qatar in what way? if we here on QL can see it why on earth cant the people who make such decisions?

UkEngQatar

This will get a lot more complicated because during Ramadan the situation will come to a halt altogether because government officials are hardly working, Last year I had one friend trying to get a visa for Qatar going to KSE he had to meet business partners and becasue of Ramadan and the slow process methods he had t postpone the meetings for a month the visas were not processed.

This will affect many industries and think about the olympics 2022 this will now be affected because of the new rules now to mention exhibitions and as stated in an earlir post conferences and such like.

So the tourist boom will die immediately this goes into effect as no one wants the hassle of getting a visa - our world is a sad one and I enjoy living in Qatar.

Simple UKEng- Since they are making it harder for them to come, the numbers will reduce. There will not be 40,000 British visitors coming to Qatar this year.

I think it will be permanent fixture for while, But a really confusing one.

The inlaws flew in from Sweden last night for the first time, Forgot to mentioned to them that one cannot bring alcohol into Qatar. So bought a few bottles of wine from Stockholm airport and when arrived at the airport their bottles were taken of them, which they can claim on their way back next.

Now the point I ma trying to make is that even though I told them every thing I could remember they still made some error or judgement or out of ignorance of the laws here as they have never visited and country in the middleast before.

So with this new law/regulation on visa before travel, who is going to advise the nations affected what to do. Knowing the Qatari Embassy in London, they probably will need to triple the amount of staff required to process the visa's for 40,000 British visitors that come to Qatar every year.

-----------------

Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

The policy makes sense on the first of April. Yes, we want tourists, because we build one hotel after the other. But, hey, not too many. They might spoil our culture.

bleu, what happend in Dubai?

What comes around, goes around....

Seriously, this could be a temporary measure after what happened in Dubai... It could be anything.

What about stopover passengers on Qatar Airways?

Who is going to bother applying for a visa for a night's stay in Doha. Most people would end up deciding to just do the transit and not visit at all.

If Qatar thinks this is going to make any of the 33 offer visa on arrival to Qataris, they are dead wrong. The only losers out of this will be a handful of people who come and go on tourist visas, and the Qatari tourism economy.

blue,

Then I would say that most Canadians won’t bother the effort (if ever they did).

Nic,

they have just not updated the website and anyway we have to wait until it is completely official

Ahhhhhhh, maybe that's what it is! Qatar wants to open a lot more embassies in Europe!

What comes around, goes around....

I guess bleu is correct.. More than half or the European countries that can get visa on arrival at present do not have Qatari Embassies so they will have to travel the nearest country.

-----------------

Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Nic, I'm looking at equality from a panoramic view, although I may very much resent the details. Take my advocative stance towards nuclear weaponry by Iran, looking at the details, do I want WMD in the world? I actually don't.

Equality in injustice is justice.

Salaam

Nic just like Qataris mailing their documents to Kuwait, Canadians would have to mail their documents to Washington.

bleu,

That’s not what I asked. What I asked was if Qatar has an Embassy in Canada?

If not (which I am quite sure) how will Canadians in Canada, will apply for a Qatari visa?

"government website aren't updated for years"... i can see that by the way they operate!

IF this is going to happen, there will be loads of expats leaving or not coming here in the first place to work.

So then Qatar can hire those who they have visa agreements with.

I am fairly sure those countries affected will not change visa requirements for Qataris.

I wonder what made all this happen?

What comes around, goes around....

Valid Point Fubar, lets just wait and see. I guess hotels will have more say now, as one will have to book a hotel as part of the pre-condition to get a visa?

-----------------

Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Are the hotels here worried about letting tourists in and getting everything all dirty?

The Tourism Authority must be overjoyed by this news.

If you were a multinational company arranging a conference for 1000 high spending delegates from Western countries, like the recent CITES conference, or a similar UN conference, would you come to Qatar, where almost everyone will need to apply for a visa before travelling, or go to Dubai?

This is going to kill off any chance of establishing a strong MICE industry in Qatar.

Good work guys, yet again.

nomerci I think since it happened and came to one knowledge in a short period of time it will cause a lot of confusion. Not enough time to inform the nationals of the countries effected, and those who have alreay made plans to travel to Qatar will have a lot of problem to visas and with every thing in this region the requirements the forms will be so complicated. So definately I can see a lot os teething problems already..:)

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

UK, Inow. I read it this morning.

Never the less, one can hope, right?

What comes around, goes around....

The Uk Foreign Office website has been update a few days ago with this information advising visitors to Qatar to obtain Visa from Qatari Embassy before travelling.

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Nic, the "date" on mofa's website is "Today's Date", not Publish date.

Many of the government website aren't updated for years... look at http://www.gov.qa/ ... most of the information there is obsolete.

Does Canada have an embassy here? NO! We have to mail our passports to Kuwait.

UkEngQatar,

LOL... true, I should know better ;)

NIC you know how things works here, some westerner is too pissed off today to go and update their website..:)

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

It just occurred to me to check Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and it reads (today : Thursday 1 April 2010):

Entry Regulations to the State of Qatar

Qatar grants tourist visas at border points for the nationals of more than 33 countries including USA, Canada, Iceland, West European countries, some East European countries, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand, besides the nationals of the GCC countries.

(...)

http://english.mofa.gov.qa/details.cfm?id=93

nomerci, for the millionth time, its on the Front page of the Gulf Times and also on the UK Foriegn Office website. Are we suggesting that everyone is playing April fool especially in a "Islamic State" ?

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

bleu

Yes I followed the story on the internet and newspapaer

Well, it IS the 1st of April today.

Maybe somebody is showing their sense of mischievous humour?

What comes around, goes around....

bleu,

I don't think Qatar has an embassy in Canada (we sure don't have one here).

How will Canadians apply for a Qatari Visa?

canarybird, what happened in Dubai was "People with UK passports entering using a visa on arrival"...

ace.auteur

I know about this and I was married to a Turkish citizen I know how hard it was to get him into the UK, the process on the airport was a long one and the questions that were asked there were exhausting andd I also refused to leave him although the official told me to go and wait outside.

However, due to the fact that many acts of terrorism have been carried out in UK they were and are more wary in letting people into the UK not to mention what happened in Dubai recently.

Things will change and things will change we have to accept it but so abruptly, I wonder with your comment if this should happen to you what you will do??

David Collman Headley is under arrest in India and here we are talikng about Qatar??

Smart move. David collman Headley was an American too.

______________________________________________________

"Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong"

Fair deal! Getting a US/UK visa is a nightmare for many. Why should it be easy for the "33"? By any means it is still going to be a whole lot simpler than standard US/UK visa processes. Reciprocity is not just fair but the right thing to do.

I'm with you UkEngQatar, have a good job offer for Abu Dhabi, this just makes the decision easier....yay better and cheaper accomodation in Dubai, can buy pork, easier access to alcohol....the world is looking up!!!!

Well this change of Visa requirement is going to cause a lot of hassle for a lot of people living in Qatar.

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Yes I am also thinking of this but I had an interesting offer from my neigbour if he can get me a female visa he will have to talk to his sponsor. I already made a business here called Qatar Home Services but because they did not manage to secure a female visa my visa was revoked and the partner took the business off me without a blink of the eye. So it is always better to look at who you are dealing with and this was a Qatari.

Happy Happy,

My point was that this eye-for-eye mentality is a bit limited and even childish, which I still think it doesn't apply to you.

I am seriously thinking of going to Abu Dhabi now where I have another job offer.

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Can We Fix It?

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feel for you and many like you Canarybird.. I have a friend who's daughter staying with them, she is fine but for her kid sake she has to do a visa run.

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Hmmm I'm pretty sure they won't make a unmarried partner visa form for Qatar Visa like they do for UK Visa.

Nic, I understand the circumstance well, if Qatar allowed visa on arrival to us, Qatar will turn to a small Egyptian governerate . So, I'm not excepting reciprocal treatment, except if both countries got at loggerheads again.

Salaam

I have been in Qatar for 5 years now, and will finally have to leave unless I find a sponsor very quickly I have been doing the visa run now for four months so how will I manage to get a visa otherwise.

I just checked this out online, like all countries the visa application is extremely difficult with a lot of paperwork and I imagine this will be the same now for all the contries who have come into the change of procedure.

I went through this process in Turkey all of a sudden the British put a visa on the Turkish, so the Turkish did it to the British but ate least you could get this on the border when entering Turkey they did no want to ruin their source of income through tourist.

deepb.. what about visa for gf/bf?..lol j/k

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Can We Fix It?

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Yes, you can get the family visa's from Immigration like the other nationalities get now. Although, it is limited to close family members only I think.

Happy Happy,

I always thought you were above that kind of mentality. Was I wrong?

Nic, more clarification, being Egyptian requires a visa application to Qatar. With this law I feel even.

Now I want Egypt to require visa application from Qataris to travel to Egypt. Currently they get it on arrival.

Salaam

Happy Happy.. Sorry to disappoint you, but every UK nationals will still be able to visit Qatar where as you guys will not. It is just the procedure has changed not the that UK national will be denied like nationals of other countries who can not come here.

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Can We Fix It?

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Salaam

But what about family visiting, will we be able to obtain visa for family like other nationalities do from the Immigration office?

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

Happy Happy,

Why excellent?

desertdog, yes also the FCO webpage..:)

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Can We Fix It?

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Excellent.

Salaam

deepb.. oops yep you are correct . Qatari Nationals have to have a visa beforehand before visiting Britain.

So if that is the case then what Qatar has done is fair. We Brits and other European and US nationals will just have to get used to it.

It has already been psoted on the FCO website that British Nationals travelling will require Visa behorehand when visiting Qatar.

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!

gulf times front page is an april fool?! april fools are also supposed to be funny......

April Fools......

UkEngQatar

yes might be but things don't work the same in the Arab world they think differently and are constantly changing the visa procedure, so if you don't have a residence permit now you are just plain unlucky because it takes them over one month to finalise visas and in Ramadan they don't work at all.

em UKeng, Qatari's are not eligible for visa on arrival for the UK. They need to apply for the visa over here.

Really comes us a surprise, because I have a lot of collegues who kids are studying in the UK and they visit their parents here in Qatar as often as they can, When will they find time to go the Qatari Embassy in Green Park London to get their visa's.

CanaryBird Yep ofcourse Qatar is an Independent State, but as part of Bilateral ties, these provions are given to each others citizen. If the Qatar wants British citizen to Obtain visa before travel then the UK should do the same.

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Can We Fix It?

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desertdog

So they lied or donot know what is on their own web site.

Be sure this will make a lot of people unhappy and will want to leave altogether.

UkEngQatar

Qatar is an indepndant state so it is sure that the British Government will not interfere nor get mixed up in any political discussions about visas they depend on the money they are earning here.

One thing that disturbed me with their announcement of this morning is that there was a statement of ongoing terrorism in Qatar and have asked the British not to get involved in ay large gatherings.

Does this mean the visas have changed because we all may be potential terrorists lol

the british embassy website here in doha has the following:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/qatar

We have been advised by the Government of Qatar that from 1 May 2010 they will withdraw the provision whereby British passport holders can obtain a visitors visa on arrival in Qatar. British visitors intending to travel to Qatar from 1 May 2010 should contact their nearest Qatari Embassy (www.english.mofa.gov.qa) for details of how to apply for their visa.

However when contacted this morning i was told that they had 'heard such rumours' but had not been contacted officially.

?????!!!

this is one quote taken from the Gulf Times article today

"Although many diplomats were unable to confirm whether the new rules would apply to their particular country, reports suggest that the change will apply to all nations who do not offer visas on arrival to Qatari nationals."

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=352533&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56

Raven1968, God knows what the reasons are, some are even linking to what the Israelis have done in Dubai, using British Passports?

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Can We Fix It?

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desertdog

Instead of informing all the expats living here by email they have posted it on their site. Not everyone reads the newspaper to be informed about Qatar Governemnt.

I don't use the British Embassy for anything as my expectations were dashed in 1979 when the Embassy in Tehran closed down and left all the British expats without any information not knowing about the progress of the revolution.

Here is the same procedure they are only good to change the passport and even then you have you have to pay a lot of money.

absolutely Canarybird. now imagine you live in North of Engalnd or Scotland, which will mean that you will have to make a day trip to London to get your visa..

A lot our friends come to visit us for weekends from UAe or on Transits what will will this mean?

Not very well thought. and why has the British government and the FCO not protested at this decision which will effects its citizens travelling to Qatar.

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Can We Fix It?

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Bleau you would love NZ, a bit cooler than Doha though..LoL

So if this is a tit for tat system and the UK give Qataris a 6 month visa on arrival then why do Brits need to apply for a visa.....I thought this only applied to countries to didn't give qataris visa's on arrival?

The British Embassy Website confirmed that British will have to get the visa from a Qatar Embassy to get into the country as of 1st May 2010.

I think that the Mnistry of Foreign Affairs have not thought this through well and they keep changing visa rules this shows an inconcistancy in Government Policies means the over all power is not strong.

I don't think that this is an issue of how many expats live and work here, but it will certainly affect the whole economy and many expat wives who don't have visas make short term visa runs, and many on short business trips to. It will certainly make a whole in the money making business of visa runs.

raven, we Brits give Qataris 6 month visa on arrival.. and we only get 1 month in return?

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Raven, Really? I'd love to go there....

I agree you should get it. They probably forgot about NZ... hidden behind Australia.

Bleau we New Zealanders give Qatari nationals 3 month visas on arrival...where is the reciprocity back eh?

its a standing joke how bad the visa system here is even when compared to the local region, and now they're making it worse?!

i don't know why im surprised....!

Exactly my concern desrtdogs. A lot of Britsih firms invite seconments from UK to work on short periods, and have to do their visa runs..

Looks like the government here does not understand or are fooling themselves on how the things works here.

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british embassy have said when asked about this morning on the telephone that they are aware of the rumours but have not been contacted officially as yet and know nothing. well if the Gulf Times can make the right contacts and get info then what the hell are the british embassy doing? pull ur fingers out and do what your paid to do, which is support british nationals here in qatar.

does anyone know how british passport holders living in countries other than the UK would get visa's i.e. ex-pat living in Dubai coming to qatar.

what about the large number of british nationals who up till now have lived here by making regular 'visa-runs' to Bahrain, Dubai etc. I guess this is the end of that?

From the list of 33 countries , many give us Visa on arrival. For others, we needed to apply for a visa.

I know that Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea already give us visas on arrival so they won't be affected.

Reciprocity make sense, let us get visas on arrivals and we'd do it for your citizens.

well ny..

The Americans have already confirmed that their citizen require Visa before coming.

Now the Qatari Embassies abroad will really busy..:)

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s_isale the reason they don't allow every body Visa on arrival is that large numbers of people from less developed countries would arrive here with no Job or money and the government would then end up paying to round them up and send them home, if they can find out where home is. The UK has had this problem with illegals dumping their passports on the plane/ship and then the government cant deport them to their home country as they wont admit where they are from.

When did you see a citizen of these 33 countries arrive with out money or a job and then live in appalling conditions which people from some less affluent countries will do as they are desperate to leave their home countries, you also then have the problem of crime rising due to the people having nothing.

I understand and agree with the basic principle that all people are equal but you also have to understand that countries with more developed economies bring knowledge, capitol investment and tourist dollars which once the petrochem industry has gone will be required by this part of the world or they will end up back in the middle ages as Afghanistan has become.

Qatar claims that the GDP figures are high but their economy is still tiny in real terms of world economies.

The world is changing and over the next 10 years the world will turn further to alternative fuel sources and become more economical with the use of fossil fuels due to Green issues and the West not wanting to be tied to a region with such instability.

I dont blame Qatar for bringing in Tit for Tat visa measures but it shows the narrow view of the world from the governments in this part of the world. They have the gas the West needs now but how much respect are they building in the rest of the world.

PS what about their much vaunted World Cup bid...HA HA that ones down the swanney now.

Why should these 33 countries be given the privilege anyway?

If there is reciprocity then its OK.

Anyway the country doesnt earn much from tourists anyway and especially the western ones.

Golf courses are a waste of money and water as well.

I guess we all agree, reality can't be questioned!

The GDP over here takes into account only the Nationals, not the residents. And when the Nationals are outnumbered by the other residents by a whopping 700% the figures are just rubbish.

Again, just because the GDP is high does not mean the tourism industry would boom automatically. This is not a tourist friendly place and don't think it will ever be either.

@ ny,i think that pretty much sums it up in a nutshell mate...well put...

Another attempt by Qatar to build its reputation as a free thinking, forward looking society, NOT.

This is just like sponsorships etc and where the rest of the world looks on and laughs at their pathetic attempts at statesmanship.

Why would any one visit here if not visiting friends/family or on business?

Many countries do what Qatar tries to do with tourism so much better eg Oman and Jordan.

So spread the word come and visit the disgusting beaches, the rip off hotels where you need your passport to enter, the hugely expensive golf course(Only the 1) with terrible service, the arrogant drivers on the roads, the racist policies in the malls, the racist policies full stop(If you look even slightly Asian then expect to be treated as a 3rd class citizen), the tacky west bay with no parking for business, the business opportunities where you have to give a local 51% of your business FOC.

Dont think I need to go on.

Well done Qatar!!!

I agree with Nic, there is no substance to this country, all smoke and mirrors...

@ Colt45,the ONLY reason they know about QR is because they're offering ridiculously low fares out of Europe & North America to try & eat into/take away Emirate's market & once again,they can afford to do that ONLY because the airline is state-owned,so really,passengers will choose the lowest fare,they couldn't care less if it were QR or Timbuktu Airways as long as they're getting the lowest fare on the connection they want...question,how many of those passengers do you think actually avail of the stopover offered by QR to "discover Qatar"?...a very small %,most just transit through our excuse for an International airport & are just interested in getting on their connecting flight taking them to a REAL holiday destination...

MOst of the Norwegians should anyway be knowing about Qatar

You'd be surprised at the number of Europeans and North Americans that know of the existence of Qatar... well if not Qatar, at least Qatar Airways ;-)

Deal_4,

It’s not quite Qatar that is booming. All you see is facades but emptiness in the core.

The GDP is not the result of intelligent hard work producing outputs. It’s simply the result of a substance freely pored out of the soil witnessed by a dormant society!

What is booming is the oil and gas that produces a lot of illusions and hallucinations!

Just like fireworks, big AHHHHHH's and Wowwwwwwwww's but very short lasting!

We’ll see!

Nic are you also part of that group??

but now Qatar emerged as booming State...!

the budget has been announced & there's Surplus... they have achieved maximum than their target...

Qatar Gas & Qatlum are the thumbs...!

...Life would become Dull if there were no such Difficulties...

i second the motion deepb, FAIR ENOUGH

www.live365.com/stations/thevault85

Gadarene,

LOL... i think its probably a joke.

I dont think many Europeans or North American's even know (or care) of the existence of Qatar!

smart move...seeing as this town is SWAMPED with people desperate to come here from Europe & North America because this place has SO MUCH to offer in terms of tourism,it's a good move to keep the numbers down & regulate things right?...because the tourism industry here is BOOMING...well done...

Reciprocal agreement... you scratch my back and I scratch yours ;-)

I don’t think the tourism industry will suffer here as there is no such industry!

Sounds fair enough.

thats the same problem for people living in the rest of the world.

If they have close relatives here, they can take the visa from here.

The above will mean a lot of trouble for Europen nationals who will have to go to Qatari Embassy to obtain their visa before boarding flights to Qatar, So I hope those family members who have booked the flights to Qatar after 1/05/2010 will have enough time to get their visa before coming.

So if you live in North of England you will have to Travel to London for your visa, if you live in south of Germany you will have to go to the Qatari Embassy in Berlin..

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Rules should be similar for all isnt it?

All European countries will need visa prior to travelling to Qatar effective 1/05/2010. This is tit for tat?

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Can We Fix It?

Yes We Can!