Travel and visa options for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: How to plan your trip to Qatar

These visa rules apply to travelers to Qatar before November 1.

For those traveling to Qatar from November 1, 2022 to January 23, 2023, all travelers require a Hayya Card. No other standard visit/travel/visa-free permits will be issued during this period and Hayya will be considered the entry permit.

UAE and GCC residents will also need a Hayya card to enter Qatar from November 1.

This also applies to travelers intending to visit Qatar for other purposes, but those without match tickets will have to wait to apply for the Hayya Card. Qatar authorities are currently encouraging those with confirmed match tickets to apply for Hayya. Their accommodation will also have to be validated during the process.

All football fans wishing to attend matches also need Hayya to enter the stadium, including residents of Qatar.

So, if you intend to travel before November 1, you can enter according to the visa categories below. If you plan to attend matches, you will still need Hayya to access the stadium.

For nationals of the countries listed below, the waiver will be valid for 180 days from the date of issue and will allow the holder to spend up to 90 days in Qatar, in a single trip or multiple trips .

1. Antigua and Barbuda 2. Argentina 3. Austria 4. Bahamas 5. Belgium 6. Bulgaria 7. Croatia 8. Cyprus 9. Czech Republic 10. Denmark 11. Dominican Republic 12. Estonia 13. Finland 14. France 15. Germany 16 Greece 17. Netherlands 18. Hungary 19. Iceland 20. Italy 21. Latvia 22. Liechtenstein 23. Lithuania 24. Luxembourg 25. Malaysia 26. Malta 27. Netherlands 28. Norway 29. Poland 30. Portugal 31 Romania 32. Serbia 33. Seychelles 34. Slovakia 35. Slovenia 36. Spain 37. Sweden 38. Switzerland 39. Turkey 40. Ukraine

For nationals of the countries/regions listed below, the waiver will be valid for 30 days from the date of issue and will allow its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during a single trip or several trips. This exemption can be extended for an additional 30 days.

1. Andorra 2. Australia 3. Azerbaijan 4. Belarus 5. Bolivia 6. Brazil 7. Brunei 8. Canada 9. Chile 10. China 11. Colombia 12. Costa Rica 13. Cuba 14. Ecuador 15. Falkland Islands 16. French Guyana 17. Georgia 18. Guyana 19. Hong Kong, China 20. India 21. Indonesia 22. Iran 23. Ireland 24. Japan 25. Kazakhstan 26. Lebanon 27. Macao 28. Macedonia 29. Maldives 30. Mauritius 31. Mexico 32 Moldova 33. Monaco 34. Montenegro 35. New Zealand 36. Pakistan 37. Panama 38. Paraguay 39. Peru 40. Russia 41. Rwanda 42. San Marino 43. Singapore 44. South Africa 45. South Korea 46. Suriname 47. Thailand 48. United Kingdom 49. United States 50. Uruguay 51. Vatican City 52. ​​Venezuela

Citizens of India and Pakistan are eligible for the 30 day visa waiver for single or multiple entry visits during the 30 days. However, some additional rules are in place for these travellers.

GCC nationals do not need a visa to travel to Qatar. This applies to citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

If you are not eligible for a visa waiver or visa-free entry, you may be eligible for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). If you already have a valid residence permit or visit visa for Schengen countries, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States or New Zealand, you can apply for a free ETA to travel to Qatar.

To obtain the ETA, you will need to present proof of confirmed accommodation, return/onward travel plans, visa validity (residence or visit based on which the ETA is approved) of 30 days and a copy your passport (minimum validity of six months at the time of application).

If you are not eligible for any of the options above, your best option is to apply for a Qatar tourist visa. The cost of the visa is 100 QR (100.75 Dh) and is valid for a stay of 30 days inside the country. The application can be made online through the Qatar Visa Service portal. Be sure to keep your documents and photos ready to upload when applying, and payment must also be made online.

If you are a GCC resident, you may be eligible for the Single Entry GCC Resident Visa which also costs Dh100.75. You can also extend your stay with this visa. At the entrance, you may be asked to provide proof of profession.

Additional rules are in place given the COVID-19 pandemic with a few countries on Qatar’s red list – citizens of these countries must be fully immunized (second dose completed 14 days prior to arrival) or travelers recovered. In the case of a recovered traveler, they are required to present proof of COVID-19 infection within 12 months of the date of arrival.

They must also submit a negative pre-travel PCR test result upon arrival and undergo a one-day hotel quarantine. A rapid antigen test will be carried out at the end of the quarantine. The cost of the test is 50 QR (50.37 Dh).

The countries currently on Qatar’s red list are Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Visitors from Red List countries who are not vaccinated or recovered according to the rules will not be allowed to enter Qatar.

Passengers arriving in Qatar must register through the Pre-Travel Registration System for Persons Entering Qatar at www.ehteraz.gov.qaonline to prove their COVID vaccination or recovery status. They should upload all relevant official documents, if any, such as vaccination certificates, evidence of previous COVID-19 infection, serological antibody test results (for conditional vaccines) and results of the PCR laboratory at least 3 days before arrival.

Although uploading the PCR test result is not mandatory during the electronic pre-check-in process, travelers who need to undergo a PCR test before travel must present the original copy of the PCR test result to the airlines in order to allow them to embark on the plane, or in the ports of the country (land and sea).

They must also download and activate the Ehteraz app upon arrival at Qatar ports of entry.

However, GCC Residents/Citizens and EU Nationals/EU Residents are exempted from pre-entry online registration if they use other applications to prove their immune status, as the Qatar recognizes certain applications used in other countries or regions.

For GCC residents, you can use the COVID health apps used in GCC countries as proof of vaccination/immune status. This includes the Al Hosn app used in the United Arab Emirates. For visitors from the European Union, the European Pass app is accepted while UK visitors can use the NHS COVID Pass. These travelers can also download the Ehteraz mobile app upon arrival using an international SIM card to view their vaccination status.

These visitors (GCC Residents/Citizens and EU Nationals/EU Residents) have the option to submit a negative pre-travel PCR test within 48 hours of departure to Qatar. If this optional negative PCR test is not available, they can go directly to an approved private clinic for a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of their arrival in Qatar.

Non-immune (not vaccinated or recovered) visitors in all of these categories are required to submit negative pre-travel PCR test results taken within 8 hours of departure from the country of origin. They must also undergo 1-5 days of quarantine (differs by nationality/residency status) followed by a COVID-19 test. Visitors from Red List countries who are not vaccinated or recovered according to the rules will not be allowed to enter Qatar.

These are the rules applicable at the time of publication of this guide, but the rules are subject to change. Always check with authorities and airlines for the most recent updates to travel rules before making travel reservations/plans.