Qatar Family Visit Visa Requirements & How To Apply (2023)

Doha Guides Team regularly reviews this article to ensure the content is up-to-date and accurate. The last editorial review and update was on 13 May 2023.

What is Qatar Family Visit Visa?

Qatar Family Visit Visa is a type of short-term visa that enables expatriate residents to bring their spouse, children, father, mother, or other relatives of the first and second degrees to Qatar for a short visit. The visa is issued for one month and can be extended to three months (additional extension is allowed in some cases).

This article explains the requirements, documents, application process, visa cost, and other details of the Qatar Family Visit Visa.

Please Note: This is a short-term visa for visiting purposes only. Foreign employees who wish to sponsor their families to live long-term in Qatar should refer to the Family Residence Visa Procedure.

Qatar Family Visit Visa Latest News And Updates 2023

Health Insurance For Family Visit Visa

From 1 February 2023, health insurance is mandatory for all visitors to Qatar. Applicants can buy health insurance for QAR 50 per month from any of the registered insurance companies listed on the MOPH website.

30 APRIL 2023 UPDATE: Now health insurance needs to be taken after the visit visa is approved (not during application). Once your visa is approved, you will receive a message to buy the insurance. While buying the insurance, enter the visa number and it would be updated in the system. The visa can be printed only after insurance has been purchased.

More details about visitors’ insurance are available here.

Attestation For Marriage Certificate

Until recently, most visit visa applications for spouses were approved without an attested marriage certificate. However, nowadays many applicants are asked to provide attested marriage certificates.

Often these certificates are handwritten, issued by local / religious bodies (mosque, church, temple etc.) or in cases where the certificate’s authenticity cannot be verified. Please check if your certificate is in a standard acceptable format with official stamps, otherwise you will need to have it attested.

Age Limit For Qatar Family Visit Visa

Currently, there is an age limit of 60 years for issuing a family visit visa. The Metrash system does not accept applications if the visitor’s age is above 60 years. In such cases, you can see if the visitor is eligible for a visa on arrival.

Qatar Family Visit Visa Requirements

Expatriates residents in Qatar can apply for family visit visa subject to meeting minimum salary and profession requirements.

Minimum Salary For Family Visit Visa in Qatar

The minimum salary required to apply for Family Visit Visa in Qatar for spouse and children is QR 5,000 (USD 1,373).

A minimum salary of QR 10,000 (USD 2,747) is required to apply for a Family Visit Visa for other relatives.

This requirement was confirmed by a senior official of the Ministry of Interior in November 2021.

Profession Requirement for Family Visit Visa in Qatar

Most expatriates with the required minimum salary are eligible to apply for family visit visa. However some applications may be rejected if the applicant’s profession on Qatar ID is labour-type.

Even if an application is rejected due to ineligible profession, the Captain at the MOI Service Center has the power to change the decision.

Qatar Family Visit Visa Fee

Qatar Family Visit Visa fee is QAR 200 (USD 55) for 30 days. The initial visa can be extended by paying QAR 200 per month.

• Medical check up: Medical check-up for a visa extension costs QAR 100.
• Fine for overstay: The fine for overstaying beyond the allowed period is QR 200 per day.

Qatar Family Visit Visa Validity

Qatar Family Visit Visas are initially issued for one month (30 days). After the visitor enters Qatar and undergoes a medical test, the visa can be further extended for two more months (a total stay of 90 days).

Earlier, the family visa could be extended for another five months for first-degree relatives and in-laws (Father, Mother, Sister, Spouse, and Children) and two more months for other relatives. Currently, extensions are only allowed for 60 days. There is no official announcement if longer extensions will be allowed again.

30 APRIL 2023 UPDATE: Those who went to Gharaffa MOI for family visit visa extension (after Eid holidays) is being allowed only 14 days extension (after first 3 months). Health insurance needs to be taken for one more month. The week before Eid, 3 months extension (total 6 months) was allowed.

Number of Days To Enter Qatar After Visa Approval

Once the visa is approved, it will have the “visa valid till” date printed on the top. This is the last date for entry to Qatar (not the last date of stay in Qatar). Currently it is 90 days from the date of visa approval. Visitors cannot use this visa after this date.

Documents Required for Qatar Family Visit Visa

If applying for a visit visa for wife and children

While applying through Metrash, the following documents should be uploaded:

• Visitor’s passport copy
• Proof of relationship (Wife: Marriage Certificate / Children: Birth Certificate)
• Round-trip flight tickets

The following documents may also be required if applying offline (directly at MOI Service Centre):

• Application form (You can get this completed through any typing center)
• Applicant’s Qatar ID copy
• No objection letter from employer, citing profession and salary
• Work contract (notarized by the Ministry of Labour)
• Photocopy of Company’s Registration Card 

Employment details are not required when applying through the Metrash app, as currently labour contracts are linked with Metrash system.

If applying for a visit visa for other relatives

Only married expatriates with family in Qatar can apply to sponsor other relatives.

While applying through Metrash, the following documents should be uploaded:

• Visitor’s passport copy
• Proof of relationship (Birth Certificate, Passport, etc.)
• Round-trip flight tickets

The following documents may also be required if applying offline (directly at MOI Service Centre):

• Application Form (You can get this completed through any typing center)
• Applicant’s Qatar ID copy
• Wife’s Qatar ID copy (if resident)
• No objection letter from employer, citing profession and salary
• Work contract (notarized by the Ministry of Labour)
• Photocopy of Company’s Registration Card 

Qatar Family Visit Visa Application

Traditionally, applying for a family visit visa was to visit any Ministry of Interior (MoI) Service Centre and submit copies of the documents along with the printed application form.

In 2018, Qatar introduced an online system where residents can apply for family visit visas through the Metrash2 or MOI website.

Through this service, you can upload all the required documents in the specified fields. You can also track the application status and pay the fees electronically once approved.

How To Apply For Qatar Family Visit Visa Online?

Below are the steps to apply for Qatar Family Visit Visa using Metrash mobile app.

Step 1. Open the Metrash2 app on your mobile and log in

If you haven’t registered for Metrash2, see our comprehensive Metrash2 User Guide

Step 2. Click on the “Visa” icon

Step 3. Click on the “Issue Visa” icon

Step 4. Click on the “Family Visit” icon

Step 5. Select “Family Visa Application”

Make sure to select “Family Visa Application”, not “Family Resident Application”.

Step 6. Click on “New Application”

Step 7. Fill up the details of the visitor

The details to fill up include Gender, Relation, Nationality, Date of Birth, Passport Details etc.

Step 8. Click on the “Validate” button

Step 9. Upload the required photos or scans of the documents

• Document scans/photos must be clear and readable.
• For documents with multiple pages, you must combine both photos/scans to create one JPG file.
• When uploading passports, photo and bio pages should be on the same side.
• For “Marriage Certificate (Others)”, you can upload the attested backside of the marriage certificate.
• Often a birth certificate is asked to prove your relationship with the visitor. If this is unavailable, you can also use any other document proving the relationship.

Step 10. You will receive an update after a few days

If there are any missing or mismatched documents, you will be notified to make the required changes. After verifying and approving the application, you will receive an application number. The application status may change to “Under Process” and “Under Review” multiple times before getting approved.

Step 11. Pay the required fee

Once the visa is approved, you have to pay the visa fee (QR 200) online via Metrash2. To make the payment, go to “Visa Fees Payment” icon on the “Visa Operation” page.

Step 12. Buy health insurance

From April 2023, health insurance needs to be taken after the visit visa is approved (not during application).

Once your visa is approved, you will receive a message to buy the insurance. While buying the insurance, enter the visa number and it would be updated in the system. The visa can be printed only after insurance has been purchased.

After this you can download the visa copy and send it to the visitor for travel.

Applying Family Visit Visa Offline

For the offline application, you would need a completed application form in addition to the other documents mentioned above. You can get this application form filled out from any typing centre.

Take the originals of your Passport, QID and NOC letter from the employer for verification if needed.

Take the required documents to any Ministry of Interior (MOI) Service Centre. Take a token number from Reception, and wait for your turn. When your number is displayed on the screen, go to the counter and submit the documents.

Sometimes they would write comments on your application and ask you to meet the Captain for final approval. The Captain will decide if your application can be accepted. If found satisfactory, you would be given a receipt and asked to check after 2-3 working days.

After two days, check the status online through the link on the receipt. If you have Metrash 2 installed on your phone, you will be notified of the status change.

If the visa is approved, you can pay the visa fees online via Metrash2 or the MoI Service Centre. The visa can be downloaded at this link.

How To Check Status of Family Visit Visa

If you have applied using Metrash, you can see the status on your Metrash app itself.

You can also check the family visit visa status on the Ministry of Interior website under Inquiries >> Visa Services >> Visa Approval Tracking (link).

Enter the application number and application date or sponsor’s QID number. Make sure all the required details are filled in correctly, and you’ll be able to check your visa status.

Family Visit Visa Rejected: What To Do

There may be several reasons why your family visit visa application is rejected. Often it is due to submitting wrong or insufficient documents. If the document photo is not clear or not attested (in case of a marriage certificate), you can do the attestation and resubmit again. However it is imperative to understand the reason and fix it before applying again.

Applications can also be rejected if the applicant (a Qatar resident) does not comply with the required conditions (salary or profession). If the application is rejected due to the applicant not meeting the salary requirement, it would be difficult to get approved again. However, in case of rejection due to profession, you can try to meet the Captain at MOI Service Center in Gharaffa, and request for reconsidering. Sometimes he would approve if the profession is acceptable.

How To Cancel Visa Application In Metrash

If your application is still under review or process, you can cancel it by clicking on the right arrow on the status page. If this option is not available, you will have to visit MOI Service Center.

Document Checklist for Family Visit Visa Travellers

1. Passport
2. Visa printout
3. Two-way flight tickets
4. Health insurance

How To Extend Family Visit Visa

As the initial visa is issued for one month only, the sponsor has to extend it within the first month to avoid any penalties.

Relatives wishing to stay beyond one month must undergo a medical test within a few days. Here is the detailed process of medical test for a visit visa extension.

Once the medical examination is passed, the visit visa can be extended online using the Metrash mobile app (Visa –> Visa Services –> Extend Visa) or by visiting any MOI service centre.

Other Points To Note

If the return ticket is after 30 days, some airlines may not allow visitors to board the flight since the initial visa is only for 30 days. So make sure to book a flight ticket that can be modified with a minimum change fee. In this way, once the visitor reaches Qatar, the ticket dates can be modified.

As this is an online visa, some airlines may require an “OK to Board” status in their system before departure. You can get this status by showing the visa copy to the airline’s Doha office.

“Null” Status on Visit Visa Application Receipt

Some of our readers have raised concerns that the acknowledgement receipt they received after application submission shows “null” in most fields. Please note that this is normal for all applicants. This document is only an acknowledgement that they received your application. Your application details will be in the system.

Visit Visa Application “Under Process” and “Under Review” Status

Applicants often get confused about changes to their visit visa application status. It is normal that each visit visa application moves through “Under Process” and “Under Review” statuses multiple times before approval.

If your application status changes between these two, you do not have to do anything. In most cases, the application will be approved within days of a status change.

Qatar Family Visit Visa Approval Time

As of March 2023, the average approval time for Family Visit Visa is 1-2 weeks. Please note that applications are processed in batches and may not be on a first-come first-serve basis.

Here is a video explaining the Family Visit Visa application process:

You can also watch the same video with Malayalam and Hindi audio. Please subscribe to Doha Guide Youtube Channel for more videos.

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Related Guides:

• Qatar Family Residence Visa Procedure and Requirements
• Medical Test For Family Visit Visa Extension
• Qatar Visa On Arrival: Complete Guide
• Qatar Visit Visa Types, Requirements, and Procedure
• Vaccination Schedule for Children in Qatar

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