Vaccinated Outside Qatar: How To Get Quarantine Exemption

1 SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE: Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced a new travel policy which will come into effect on Sunday, 4 September 2022, at 6 pm local time. This article has been updated to reflect these changes.

Quarantine is no longer mandatory for all travellers arriving from abroad. However, if passenger tests positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Qatar, quarantine measures must be followed as stipulated by the State.

Country classification based on COVID-19 risk (Red List and Standard Health List) is no longer applicable.

Hence, this article is not relevant with effect from 4 September 2022.

Due to the global pandemic, the State of Qatar has made hotel quarantine mandatory for most travellers from other countries.

People who have been fully vaccinated in Qatar were already exempt from this requirement, and now we have some good news for those vaccinated outside Qatar.

The Ministry of Public Health has announced that people who have received MOPH-approved COVID-19 vaccines outside Qatar can be exempt from hotel quarantine if they meet certain criteria.

Below are the conditions to get quarantine exemption if vaccinated outside Qatar, as it was listed on the MOPH website:

Table Of Contents

Vaccinated Outside Qatar: Conditions for Quarantine Exemption
Ehteraaz Status
FAQ on Quarantine Exception for Those Vaccinated Abroad

Vaccinated Outside Qatar: Conditions for Quarantine Exemption

Persons who received the COVID-19 vaccine outside Qatar can be exempt from quarantine if they meet the following criteria:

1. Travel from a Green List Country

As per the latest travel rules (effective from 6th October 2021), vaccinated travellers from Green List countries can be exempt from hotel quarantine, subject to other conditions below.

2. The vaccine must be approved by MOPH

The vaccine received must be approved by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, Currently, the following COVID-19 vaccines are approved by MOPH:

Pfizer BioNTech
Moderna
AstraZeneca/Covishield
Janssen/Johnson & Johson

Conditionally approved vaccines

Sinopharm
Sinovac
Sputnik V
Covaxin

A positive Serology Antibody test pre-travel is mandatory for individuals with two doses of a conditionally approved vaccine, with the validity of the test being 30 days.

3. Completion of the required doses

A person must have completed the specified doses as below:

Vaccine Brand	Specified Dose
Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine	Two doses
Moderna vaccine	Two doses
AstraZeneca / Covishield	Two doses
Johnson & Johnson vaccine	One dose
Sinopharm*	Two doses
Sinovac*	Two doses
Sputnik V*	Two doses
Covaxin*	Two doses

*Conditionally approved vaccine

4. Completion of 14 days

Two weeks (14 weeks) should have passed since the second dose. For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the requirement is two weeks from the first dose.

The period of validity of the quarantine exemption is 12 months, starting 14 days after the final dose.

5. Official Vaccine Certificate

A person vaccinated outside Qatar must present an official certificate or a vaccination card containing the following information:

Name of the recipient
Date of vaccination by each dose
Name of the vaccine
The serial number of the vaccine batch

If in doubt of the authenticity of the certificate, verification may be necessary through the embassy of the country where the vaccine was administered.

NOTE: Make sure your vaccination certificate has the date and records for both the doses (except for J&J). If your certificate has only details of the last dose, you need to provide valid proof of the first dose also.

Doctor Vaccinating Young Woman — Source: Freepik Premium License

6. Negative PCR Test Result

A negative RT-PCR test result within 48 hours is compulsory for all travellers.

The person’s COVID-19 PCR test result must be negative.
The test should be taken at one of the laboratories accredited by the Ministry of Health in the country of departure (This is a compulsory requirement for all travellers).
The certificate validity should not exceed 48 hours upon arrival.

7. Pre-Travel Approval Permit

Visitors to Qatar must get pre-travel approval by submitting all travel details and required documents on the Ehteraz website. Here is our detailed guide on how to do Ehteraz pre-travel registration. Visitors without an approved permit will not be allowed to travel to Qatar.

Ehteraaz Status

The health status on Ehteraz mobile app will remain green for all persons who meet the above-mentioned criteria and therefore will be exempted from the hotel and home quarantine upon entering Qatar.

Please see the MOPH website for the latest updates. As the rules can be revised at any time, we strongly recommend that you check this regularly for any changes that may affect your plans.

Reference: Qatar Airways – Discover Qatar

FAQ on Quarantine Exception for Those Vaccinated Abroad

Which all vaccines are eligible for quarantine exception?

For the exemption, travellers must be immunised with any of these vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca / Covishield, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V and Covaxin.

Is Covishield or Covaxin from India accepted by Qatar?

Covishield is fully recognized by Qatar MOPH. Since December 2021, Covaxin is conditionally approved.

How long is the exemption valid for vaccinated people?

The quarantine exemption’s validity period is 12 months, starting 14 days after the final dose.

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