How To Obtain A Qatar Family Visa (Residence) And Steps To Follow?
A Family Residence Visa in Qatar is a critical document an expatriate worker uses to facilitate the residence of his or her immediate family members, including spouses and or children in the region. All family members, including infants, must obtain a residence visa to reside in Qatar legally.
In this blog, we will provide a deep insight into Qatar family visa requirements, discussing every fine detail from the eligibility criteria for obtaining the visa to informing about the required documents, from the fees to be paid to the procedures to going through the process to obtain the visa.
Eligibility and Requirements for Family Visa Requirements In Qatar:
Now, let us talk about the eligibility requirements that one must meet, such as;
Family Visa Qatar:
To sponsor family members in Qatar, expatriates must meet several criteria for a family residence visa Qatar:
1. Residence Permit:
The sponsor must be a legal resident and have a valid Qatar Residence Permit. This is usually in the form of a Qatar ID or a Residence Card of the holder of the Account.
2. Profession:
According to the above Qatar ID, the sponsor’s occupation has to be technical or specialized (non-labor). Drivers, delivery personnel, and cleaners do not count, regardless of the pay scale involved.
3.Minimum Salary for Family Residence Visa In Qatar:
As of July 2024, the Family Residence Visa will be available for private sector employees with a salary of not less than QR 10,000 per month. The change was made temporarily in December 2023, in which people earning QAR 6,000 and more and having a family accommodation facility by the employer can apply for a visa. Nevertheless, trends reveal that applicants with incomes under QR 10,000 especially when the company offers housing, get rejected. The prospects of policy changes have been mentioned in its reports, but the official changes have yet to be announced.
Family Residence Visa Qatar Latest News:
In this section, we have discussed the updates regarding Qatar residence permit, such as:
1. Application Process Changes:
In February 2024, there were set measures indicating that employers and expatriates have to process residence permits not later than thirty days after arriving in Qatar, which is subject to a QR 10,000 penalty.
Further, commencing in August 2023, it is not mandatory to upload banking statements or education certificates via the Metrash mobile application. Information on salary is affirmed through the Wage Protection System (WPS), while information on education is through the labor contract.
2. Metrash App Updates:
For example, the Metrash application, through which users can apply for visas, no longer incorporates the concept of a no-objection certificate. If this is missing, you should attach the NOC together with the employment contract, and the two documents should be well captured in the photograph.
3. Service Center Hours:
Since its service centers, the General Directorate of Passports has recently changed its working hours. For instance, some centers, such as Mesaimeer, Al Shahaniya, and others, open from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM, while Qatar Airways centers open from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
Eligibility Criteria:
The eligibility criteria may be updated about one and a half years from now, in December 2023.
The Ministry of Interior clarified that:
Government and Semi-Government Employees: The employer must provide family accommodation or a basic wage of QR 10,000.
Private Sector Employees: They must make at least QR 10000 or QR 6000 in case family housing is offered by employer. Their work should be technical or specialty-oriented.
Residence Permit Qatar Document requirements:
Here are listed the documents that must be submitted to obtain the family residence visa:
When applying for a Family Residence Visa, the following documents are essential:
Passports: The passport bio, photo, and signature page / the last two pages of all the family members’ passports.
Marriage Certificate: It must be attested by your country’s Qatar Embassy or your country’s Embassy in Qatar/Ministry in Interior(MOI) in your country and stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Doha.
Birth Certificates: As mentioned above, birth certificates for children also have to be attested.
NOC: An original letter from your employer in Arabic stating your position and salary in the company not more than three months ago, saying that he has no objection to you traveling outside the country, hence the No-Objection Certificate. If the Metrash app does not accommodate a word for this place, submit the NOC with your employment contract.
Additional Documents:
– Affidavit of non-marriage for unmarried daughters above 18 years old.
– Documents proving that a child is an adopted child Adoption papers for adopted children.
– The documents which record the relationship between the sponsor and the stepchildren.
– A renewal of the Qatar ID in case the one presented is near expiry.
Document Attestation and Translation
Original documents for attestation must be endorsed by the Qatar Embassy or Your Embassy in the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha. If the document is in any language other than English or Arabic, it must be translated into English or Arabic and then uploaded in the Metrash under the “Other documents” submenu. Document scans or photos should be clear and in JPG format, with a size not exceeding 500 KB.
The procedures involved in the application for a Family Residence Visa through Metrash2
The Metrash2 mobile app simplifies the application process:
log in to Metrash: Click on ‘Visa.’
Issue Visa: To proceed to the next step, click the “Issue Visa” icon on the screen.
Family Visit: Click “Family Resident Application,” which differs from the default “Family Visit Visa.”
New Application: Enter additional data for the family members and confirm the data entered.
Upload Documents: For example, some web applications require users to complete various fields with details of various documents that need to be uploaded.
Confirm Submission: Check and return the application. A receipt number will be created for identification.
Note: Family Visa fee per dependent is 200 QAR.
Application Status and Processing
Under Process: The application is being considered.
Under Review: A junior officer of the unit is responsible for going through the file. This is the case because errors or missing documents shall be detected.
Under Process with Visa Number Issued: This file is with CID (Criminal Investigation Department) for clearance. The samples are always approved within a week, as stated by Mint ( an online news portal that keeps you updated on current affairs worldwide).)
Ready To Print: After approval, the visa can be printed.
If you receive a “Missing Documents” message, it may be due to the wrong document upload. For instance, when uploading a PDF file, make sure it’s in PDF format, not Word. To resolve issues, reduce the dimensions of those pictures below 100kb or take a picture directly from the Metrash app.
What if the application is rejected:
This manual section is dedicated to what should be done if the Application is Rejected.
In case your application is declined, you should go to the Immigration Office with a copy of the receipt of the visa application. Sometimes, you can be scheduled for an appointment with the visa approval committee. Resistant to any legal challenge, make sure that all original documents are brought and available for evaluation.
Traveling to Qatar
When the Family Entry Visa application has been granted, families can move to Qatar. They will need:
Passport
One-way flight ticket
Entry visa copy
Original passport, copies including copies of visa, identification photos, and documents like health insurance and return flight ticket are not essential while applying for the Family RP visa.
Visa Validity
Generally, for the Family Residence Visa, one is granted approval to enter within 180 days from the time it was granted. However, there are tiny instances where the visa has only been given a 90-day validity. An issuance date and the validity period are mentioned on a visa and refer to the visa’s legal effectiveness.
Medical and Biometrics Process After Family enter Qatar:
Within 30days spouse and children above 15 years old has to undergo medicals.
Take Blood group confirmation from Naseem Al Rabeeh Medical Centre at C-Rting Road, it cost 50QAR.
Visit Qatar Medical Commission between 7am to 12pm or 2pm to 7pm with below listed document and Blood Group Confirmation Report.
Sponsor’s Qatar ID copy
Family member’s original passport
Residence visa copy with the mobile number to be contacted, if necessary
Debit or credit card for payment of the fees(100QAR)
Note: Cash is not allowed so Credit/Debit Card is Must.
Applicant has to undergo HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, and General Check-up with Chest X-ray to check Tuberculosis. Process time usually take between 30-60mins.
Once the medicals are cleared MOPH would forward the report to Qatar Ministry of Interior (MoI) residency section.
After 1 day you can visit MOI service center to process Biometrics. Upon completion of the biometrics pay for QID through Metrash Application per dependent payable QID Fee is 500 QAR. You’ll receive QID’s through Qatar Post.
Final Notes
The Family Residence Visa undergoes several procedures and specifications, but the process can be very simple if the latest regulations are adhered to and the right documents are prepared. Stay updated on the developments at Metrash, and do not wait to be told when to check and Verify All Requirements on the Application so that the application process will continue to run smoothly. Stay informed with the latest updates about Qatar family residence visas to avoid any mistakes or confusion.
