Pakistan opens first Qatar Visa Centre in Islamabad; Karachi branch to open Saturday

Qatar has been doing a lot in recent years to make it easier for expatriates to come into the country for work.

The nation has opened several Qatar Visa Centres (QVC), in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, in a bid to make the recruitment process more transparent and more accessible.

The first QVC in Pakistan opened in Islamabad on Thursday. The Formal inauguration of the Karachi branch will take place tomorrow, reported Gulf Times.

Major General Abdullah Salim Al Ali, an adviser at the office of Qatar’s Minister of Interior; Major Abdullah Khalifa Al Muhannadi, director of Visa Support Services Department of the MoI, and Mohamed Al Meer, a labour expert at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, attended the opening ceremony.

Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, special assistant to the Pakistan PM on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, also attended.

Qatar is planning to open 20 QVCs in eight countries, thus speeding up visa processes for workers to enter Qatar.

“In the context of strengthening relations between the two countries, Qatar has decided to choose Pakistan as one of the first eight countries to launch two Qatar Visas Centers in Islamabad and Karachi. This will facilitate recruitment of skilled labour from Pakistan, as well as provide required services for obtaining visas to Qatar for visit and residence,” Qatar’s Ambassador to Pakistan HE Saqr bin Mubarak Al Mansouri was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

Potential work visa applicants will be required to give their biometric data, and undergo medical tests at the QVC, which operates through an integrated electronic system.

The application process for work visa aspirants from Pakistan to Qatar requires them to get a visa reference number from the MoI Qatar. It is followed by seeking an appointment by visiting www.qatarvisacenter.com.

On reaching the QVC, the identity of the visa applicant is verified, the list of required documents checked and a token issued. Upon completion of the process, an applicant can track the status of his application online or through the employer in Qatar.

Located at I-A, I&T Centre, G-6, Islamabad, the QVC operates between 8.30am and 4.30pm from Mondays to Fridays.

Information on scheduling appointment, requirements and procedures at the QVC can be found in English, Urdu and Arabic through a dedicated website http://www.qatarvisacenter.com.

Users can also talk to call centre executives at +920 51 843 938 4 or email [email protected].