Hi All, I posted this elsewhere as there were two main topics where I found some info on extending tourist visa and now that I have done it thought I would share the info with everyone else having same problems!!!
I just HAD to share this knowledge as I spent days searching forums for the info as well as ringing Embassies - all giving me the wrong answer - or should I say the answer I did not want to hear!!!
I came to Qatar bringing a few family members on a tourist visa (to see a relative) which gives 1 months validity. However I needed to stay here for just over 5 weeks.
Whoever I asked i.e. immigration dept near airport, the main immigration area somewhere in Doha (don't know the place well enough to direct anyone but it is the main immigration dept in Doha), I was told that this tourist visa can not be extended!!!! However, as I had assumed that extending the visa would not be an issue (the UK Qatari Embassy in London says that you can extend this) I had booked my flight tickets for a duration of 5 weeks! Now being told by even the managers of the immigration dept.s that this type of visa cannot be renewed obviously caused a lot of problems. As even changing the flight dates to leave earlier would cost each ticket at least £100!!!
The only solution one manager came up with was to apply for a family visa by getting my relative who lives here to apply for us and get his company to sponsor. But this would cost me 700 Riyals per person!!! (equivalent to around £120 - ie more expensive than even changing my flight dates!).
Instead.... (sorry for the long story rather than just the important bit you all waiting for...) I went back to the immigration area near the airport in Doha and again asked the manager about which queue to join for Tourist Visa extension. Again I received the same reply that it CANNOT be done! Instead of listening though, I waited patiently in the long queue that is labelled Visa Extention (spelt wrongly lol). But this time, instead of using my normal phrase of "Hi, I would like to enquire how I go about extending my UK Tourist Visa" I just handed over the passports and said "I would like to extend our visas please".... I.e. I did not mention the word 'TOURIST'!!! The gentleman proceeded to enter some sort of details from the original visa sticker that was stuck in the passport into his computer and then asked me how long extension I would like... "2 weeks" I replied, and he proceeded to type something into the computer... I remained quiet throughout this time! He then gave me the 'bad news' that it would cost 100 Riyals per passport.... No problem to me as this is much better than 700 Riyals and loads of paperwork heh?! Especially as this is the equivalent cost of a tourist visa in the UK anyway (i.e. £20). 5 minutes later I had my tourist visa renewed on all passports!!!!
I suggest anyone else having this trouble does the same and hopefully it will work for you too!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!x
Hi All, I posted this elsewhere as there were two main topics where I found some info on extending tourist visa and now that I have done it thought I would share the info with everyone else having same problems!!!
I just HAD to share this knowledge as I spent days searching forums for the info as well as ringing Embassies - all giving me the wrong answer - or should I say the answer I did not want to hear!!!
I came to Qatar bringing a few family members on a tourist visa (to see a relative) which gives 1 months validity. However I needed to stay here for just over 5 weeks.
Whoever I asked i.e. immigration dept near airport, the main immigration area somewhere in Doha (don't know the place well enough to direct anyone but it is the main immigration dept in Doha), I was told that this tourist visa can not be extended!!!! However, as I had assumed that extending the visa would not be an issue (the UK Qatari Embassy in London says that you can extend this) I had booked my flight tickets for a duration of 5 weeks! Now being told by even the managers of the immigration dept.s that this type of visa cannot be renewed obviously caused a lot of problems. As even changing the flight dates to leave earlier would cost each ticket at least £100!!!
The only solution one manager came up with was to apply for a family visa by getting my relative who lives here to apply for us and get his company to sponsor. But this would cost me 700 Riyals per person!!! (equivalent to around £120 - ie more expensive than even changing my flight dates!).
Instead.... (sorry for the long story rather than just the important bit you all waiting for...) I went back to the immigration area near the airport in Doha and again asked the manager about which queue to join for Tourist Visa extension. Again I received the same reply that it CANNOT be done! Instead of listening though, I waited patiently in the long queue that is labelled Visa Extention (spelt wrongly lol). But this time, instead of using my normal phrase of "Hi, I would like to enquire how I go about extending my UK Tourist Visa" I just handed over the passports and said "I would like to extend our visas please".... I.e. I did not mention the word 'TOURIST'!!! The gentleman proceeded to enter some sort of details from the original visa sticker that was stuck in the passport into his computer and then asked me how long extension I would like... "2 weeks" I replied, and he proceeded to type something into the computer... I remained quiet throughout this time! He then gave me the 'bad news' that it would cost 100 Riyals per passport.... No problem to me as this is much better than 700 Riyals and loads of paperwork heh?! Especially as this is the equivalent cost of a tourist visa in the UK anyway (i.e. £20). 5 minutes later I had my tourist visa renewed on all passports!!!!
I suggest anyone else having this trouble does the same and hopefully it will work for you too!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!x