Getting a Family Residence Visa in Qatar (Latest Process-July 2018)/Convert Visit visa to Residency

Getting a Family Residence Visa in Qatar (Latest Process-July 2018)

Hi Friends, this article is just to explain what all I did for getting family visa for my Wife. I’m going to explain the whole process step by step even though it is bit lengthy.

Documents to be required for Application Submission

• Salary Letter from the Employer. Employee must have minimum 10,000 Salary. I have also heard that for government employees, they will accept the application if Accommodation is provided by the company and is mentioned in the Contract.
• NOC from the Company and should be dated within last 3 months.
• Six months’ bank statement mandatory for private firm stamped by bank official (Usually Bank will charge 25 QAR for the statement. QIB will provide the statement on spot. For other Banks, you have to check the time period)
• Copy of your Education Certificate attested by Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MOFA) of your country and Qatar embassy in your country. They may also demand for Arabic translation attested by MOFA of your country and Qatar embassy in your country. If it's not in English, then translation is a must. Translation can be done in any typing agency.
• Clear Copy of Your Passport
• Clear Copy of Your Qatar ID
• Clear Copy of Your Wife Passport (and Kids if Applicable)
• Marriage Certificate attested by MOFA of your country and Qatar embassy in your country. (For me, they have rejected during submission once since MOFA Attestation was done in Mumbai. After rejection, I went to a typing center and asked for MOFA attestation in Qatar. They have charged me 150 riyals and returned the certificate back after attestation very next day). Also they have not asked me for the Arabic translation of the Marriage Certificate.
• Child(s) Birth Certificate(s) attested by MOFA and Qatar embassy in your country. If it's not in English, then translation must be attested by MOFA and Qatar embassy in your country. (Applicable similar to Marriage Certificate)
• Copy of Rent agreement duly attested by municipality.
• Copy of the Job Contract letter signed by both parties and stamped by Ministry of Labor. This will be done by your company so no need to worry about that.
• Copy of the Company Card (This also, you will get from the Company)

If you have all the Documents with you, then you are ready to start with the process. Below steps describes the complete procedure.

Step 1: Go to Medical commission with the entry visa and get the medical done. The receipt will say "Visa Extension". You will be charged QAR 100 (If your family is on visit visa and want RP)

Step 2: After 2 Days, you will get an SMS stating that the ‘Medical for xxxxx is ok’ or you can check online. This means your wife i fit and can proceed further.

Step 3: Go to Gharaffa Immigration(Gate 3) with all the above mentioned documents. Security will ask you for what purpose you need to go inside. You can say ‘Residence Visa Application Submission’. Take a token from gate 3 and wait for your turn. Timing is from 6 to 12 in the morning and 3 to 6 in the evening I think. Better to go in the Morning since Captain will be there in the morning only.( I usually go after mu duty ie after 3 PM).

 Form for Application submission can be downloaded from the below link

APPLICATION FORM

Step 4: If they accept the Application, they will give you a receipt and will tell you to check after 3 days in MOI Website online. You can also check in Metrash Application if you are registered in Metrash. You will receive an SMS saying that ‘Application is received’ within 2 minutes.

If any documents are missing in the Submitted list of documents, they will reject it by stating the reason for rejection from there itself. Detailed review will be done later only.

Step 5: After 2-3 days, check on MOI website/Metrash by putting the Application Number for the status. Initially, the application status will appear as ‘Under review' and when the application is accepted, the status will be updated to 'Under Process' without expiry date.

Then the status will again be changed to 'Under Process' with an expiry date. Finally the application status is updated to 'Ready to Print'. Usually this whole process takes 2 to 3 working days and sometime 10 to 15 days.

(For me I Applied on Thursday, Sunday It changed to ‘Under Review’. Monday it changed to ‘Under Process’ and Tuesday it changed to ‘Ready to Print’)

Step 6: Once the status is 'Ready to print', go to Immigration office again at Gate 1 with the document submission receipt. You will be charged QAR 200 for converting visit visa to residence visa and QAR 500 for getting visa without exiting Qatar. (Choice is yours)

You can also pay the QAR 200 online through Metrash. I believe QAR 500 can be done only at Immigration. (You can print the Visa yourself after you pay QAR200 through Metrash)

Step 7: Go to Medical commission and present the paper visa and tell them you need to do a medical to convert visit visa to residence visa. During medical examination, they will ask your wife whether she is pregnant. If She is pregnant, you need to submit a certificate as a proof of pregnancy. Positive pregnancy result from any clinic will be enough. (Entrance will be allowed for only ladies. Better to take any relatives or neighbors with you if wife is not confident. But there, people are very cooperative.)

You will be charged QAR 100 again and the receipt will mention the purpose as 'Residence / Work visa'. Since your wife have already taken medical checkup earlier, they will not do it again. They will redirect you wife to check with some other counter to update in the system.

At the same time, you will get an SMS saying that the ‘Medical for xxxxxx is ok’

Step 8: Go to the finger printing office at Mesaimer with all your receipts and get the finger prints done. Make sure to collect the finger print receipt. (For me, we didn’t get any receipt, we got an SMS next day saying that ‘Finger print for xxxx is ok’).

Step 9: If you are not registered in Metrash, or once you receive the above SMS, go to Immigration office Gate 2 with all the documents and passport size photographs. You should fill an application form also to submit to gate 2.

Form can be downloaded from the below link

RP APPLICATION FORM

You should also bring Blood group report which can be done at any Authorized clinic. You will be charged QAR 500 for one year RP. For 2 Years it is QAR 900 and For 3 Years it is QAR 1060.

CONGRATULATIONS….YOU ARE NOW ALL SET…….HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL…..FOR ANY OF YOUR QUERIES, LEAVE A COMMENT AND I WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OUT....

THANK YOU….. :-)

EDIT:

Related post about family visas and permits

How to convert a family visit visa into a permanent residence permit

How to apply for a family visit visa in Qatar

Procedure for Applying Family Visit Visa through Metrash