Last Reviewed: February 2026 | Topic: Qatar Family Visit Visa to RP Conversion | Reading Time: 14 minutes

Quick Answer: Once your family’s Residence Permit (RP) is approved via Metrash while they’re in Qatar on a visit visa, pay the QR 200 RP visa fee + QR 500 in-country conversion fee → complete the medical test at Abu Hamour + fingerprinting at the CEID office within 30 days of conversion → apply for the QID (QR 500). Your family never needs to leave Qatar. The 30-day countdown starts from the conversion date, not the original arrival date.

One of the most common questions in Qatar expat communities goes something like this: “My family’s RP just got approved but they’re here on a visit visa — do they have to fly out and come back?”

The answer, since 2023, is no.

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior now allows a full in-country conversion — changing the visa type from a Family Visit Visa to a Family Residence Permit without your family leaving Doha. The process involves a conversion fee, a medical test, fingerprinting, and QID issuance. Done correctly and within the 30-day window, the entire thing can be completed smoothly in about two to three weeks.

This guide walks you through every step of that process — what to pay, where to go, what to bring, and what the edge cases look like (expired visit visa, sons turning 18, visit visa extensions running alongside RP applications, and more).

Table of Contents

What Does “Converting” a Visit Visa to a Residence Permit Actually Mean?

When your family entered Qatar on a Family Visit Visa, their status in the MOI system was tagged as a temporary visitor. A Residence Permit — and the Qatar ID that comes with it — is a completely different legal status: it’s long-term residency under your sponsorship.

The conversion process changes that MOI record from “visitor” to “resident” without requiring anyone to exit Qatar, fly home, and re-enter. The Ministry of Interior processes this change in-system when the QR 500 in-country conversion fee is paid.

The QR 500 fee — when does it apply exactly?

This is the single most misunderstood part of the entire process, so let’s be very clear:

If your family member is inside Qatar when the RP visa type change is processed → QR 200 + QR 500 apply (QR 200 for the RP visa fee, QR 500 for in-country conversion)
If your family member was outside Qatar when the RP was approved and they entered Qatar directly on the new RP visa → QR 200 only applies (no conversion fee — the system just issues a new entry visa)

The QR 500 is essentially the fee for not making your family leave and re-enter. It’s worth it.

Before You Start — Are You Eligible?

Before the RP can be approved (and therefore before conversion is possible), the sponsor — that’s you — must meet specific eligibility criteria. If your RP application has already been approved, you’ve already cleared these, but they’re worth understanding because they affect the children’s eligibility too.

Salary Requirements (2026)

Qatar’s MOI updated its family RP salary thresholds significantly. As of 2026, the requirements are:

Employment Sector	Condition	Minimum Monthly Salary
Government / Semi-government	With or without employer housing	QR 10,000
Private sector	Employer provides family accommodation	QR 6,000
Private sector	No employer housing	QR 10,000

Since August 2023, the MOI no longer requires bank statements uploaded through Metrash. Salary is verified directly through the Wage Protection System (WPS) — the government payroll tracking system that your employer uses. If your salary is not processed via WPS, your RP application may be blocked even if you earn the correct amount. Confirm WPS compliance with your company’s HR or PRO before applying.

Who Can Be on the Family RP?

Spouse — husband or wife of the sponsor
Sons — under 18 years old only. Sons who turn 18 lose eligibility.
Daughters — unmarried daughters of any age. Married daughters are not eligible regardless of age.
Married daughters and sons 18+ — not eligible for family RP sponsorship. They must obtain their own work permit or other visa category to remain in Qatar legally.
Unmarried daughters over 18 — eligible, but a Declaration of Non-Marriage (affidavit of dependency) is required as a supporting document.

One Important Note on NOC

Since Metrash was upgraded, the system no longer has a dedicated NOC field in the application form. If your employer’s NOC is not already loaded into the system, attach it alongside your employment contract as a single combined image — photograph both documents side by side and upload as one file.

The Full Fee Breakdown

Before starting the conversion, understand exactly what you’ll be paying and at which stage.

Payment Item	Amount	When Paid	How Paid
RP visa issuance fee	QR 200	On RP approval, via Metrash before printing	Card via Metrash
In-country conversion fee	QR 500	When processing the visa type change	Card at MOI or via Metrash
Medical test (per adult)	QR 100	At Medical Commission, Abu Hamour	Card only — no cash
QID / Residence Permit card	QR 500 (per year)	After medical + fingerprinting	Metrash or MOI counter
QPost QID delivery	QR 20	Optional, if applying via Metrash	Metrash
Approximate total per adult	~QR 1,320

Children under 15 typically follow a simplified process — confirm via Metrash whether the “Issue Residence Permit” option appears for them without a medical step. If it does, they follow a shorter path.

Step-by-Step: Converting the Family Visit Visa to a Residence Permit

Step 1: Confirm RP Approval in Metrash

Open the Metrash app → Visa Services → check your family RP application. The status should show as “Approved” with a visa number. You may receive an SMS notification as well. If the status still shows “Under Review” or “Under Process,” the application has not been approved yet — wait it out.

Step 2: Pay the QR 200 RP Visa Fee in Metrash

Once approved, you’ll be prompted to pay the QR 200 visa issuance fee inside the app. Pay by debit or credit card. After payment, a confirmation receipt is generated.

Step 3: Print the RP Visa Document

After paying QR 200, the RP visa document becomes available for printing via the MOI website (portal.moi.gov.qa → Visa Inquiry & Printing). Print it — you’ll need this document for the next steps.

Step 4: Pay the QR 500 In-Country Conversion Fee

This is the step that officially changes the visa type in the MOI system from “visit” to “residence.”

Option A — Via Metrash (if the option appears): Some accounts show a visa type change option directly inside the app. If available, complete it through Metrash and pay by card. You’ll receive a conversion receipt — download and print it.

Option B — Via MOI Service Centre (if Metrash option isn’t there or throws an error): Visit any MOI Service Centre — Mesaimeer is widely used for this. Tell the officer you want to convert your family member’s visit visa to a residence visa. Bring:

Printed RP approval document
Original passport of the family member
Copy of your (the sponsor’s) QID
Debit or credit card for QR 500

The officer processes the conversion at the counter and hands you a Visit to RP Conversion Receipt. Print or save this — you’ll need it for fingerprinting.

Step 5: Your 30-Day Countdown Starts NOW

The moment the QR 500 conversion fee is paid and the visa type is changed in the system, a 30-day clock begins. Within those 30 days, you must complete all three of the following:

Medical test at the Medical Commission
Fingerprinting at the CEID office
QID issuance

Missing this 30-day window triggers a fine of QR 10,000 on the sponsor, introduced in February 2024. Do not treat this as an approximate guideline — it is a hard deadline with a significant financial penalty.

Step 6: Complete the Medical Test at Abu Hamour

Book your family member in for the medical examination at the Medical Commission, Al Muntazah Street, off E-Ring Road, Abu Hamour. Go on Day 2 or Day 3 after conversion — the system needs 24 hours to register the new visa status.

For adults (15+): blood test (HIV, Hepatitis B & C) + chest X-ray + physical exam. Fee: QR 100 per person, card only.

For children under 15: check whether “Issue Residence Permit” appears for the child in your Metrash. If yes, no Medical Commission visit needed. If not, visit the Medical Commission with the child’s original passport and visa copy and pay QR 100 for system registration — the child does not undergo the full blood/X-ray test.

Results are available via the MOPH website (moph.gov.qa → Medical Test Results) within 24–72 hours, using the MC number from the registration receipt.

If your family member already had the blood test done for a visit visa extension and is now converting to RP — they do not need to redo the full test. Visit the Medical Commission, pay QR 100, and ask for the status to be updated from “visit” to “residence” in the system.

For the complete medical test walkthrough, see: [Medical Test for Family Residence Visa in Qatar — Full Guide].

Step 7: Fingerprinting

All adults aged 15 and above must register their fingerprints digitally with the Ministry of Interior. Children under 15 are exempt.

Best location: The CEID office on Salwa Road is the primary fingerprinting centre for RP cases. Some MOI Service Centres also offer this service, but important exceptions apply — the Wadi Al Banat / Duhail Service Centre does not handle family RP fingerprinting.

For female applicants specifically: some MOI Service Centres, including Mesaimeer, now redirect female RP applicants to the CEID Salwa Road office. Call the Service Centre ahead of your visit to confirm whether they’ll process it on-site.

Documents for fingerprinting:

Original passport of the family member
Conversion receipt (from Step 4)
Completed Fingerprint Application Form — obtainable from any typing centre near the MOI for approximately QR 5–10. Pro tip: get both the fingerprint form and the QID application form typed at the same time at the typing centre to save a trip.

Step 8: Apply for the QID (Residence Permit Card)

With the medical test cleared and fingerprinting done, the Qatar ID can be issued. You have two options:

Online via Metrash: Open the app → Residency → Issue Residence Permit → fill in required details → upload:

Passport-size photo of the family member (35x45mm, blue background, taken within last 12 months)
Photo of their signature — or for children, a photo of their name written on a piece of paper

Pay QR 500 (one-year Residence Permit) + QR 20 if you want the QID delivered via QPost to your door. Track the delivery at moi.gov.qa → Inquiries → QPost Service → QPost Requests Tracking using the sponsor’s QID number.

In person at any MOI Service Centre: Bring the completed application form (from the typing centre), original passport, conversion receipt, fingerprinting receipt, and a passport-size photo. The QID is printed at the counter within 5 minutes of payment. Fee: QR 500.

Note: a blood group certificate is no longer required. The family member will be asked to sign next to their photo on the form. Children can have their name written in lieu of a signature.

Step 9: Register the National Address

After the QID is issued, every resident — including newly converted family members — must register a National Address with the MOI. This step is mandatory and must be completed before QID renewal is possible.

Via Metrash: Certificates → National Address Certificate → enter address details (PO Box, telephone, residential address, email).

For children’s National Address, this can be done through the sponsor’s Metrash account.

Important: For your wife to register her own National Address independently (required for school enrollments and some other services), she will need a SIM card registered under her own QID. Arrange this after her QID is printed.

Special Situations That Catch Families Off Guard

Your Family’s Visit Visa Already Expired Before RP Was Approved

This happens more often than people expect — RP applications take weeks and visit visas expire. If your family member is currently on an overstay, fines of QR 200 per day have been accumulating since the expiry date.

Do not panic, but do act immediately. Visit an MOI Service Centre with:

Printed RP approval
Original passport
Your QID copy
Payment for the accumulated overstay fines + QR 500 conversion fee

Explain the situation to the officer — overstay due to pending RP approval is a known, common scenario. The fines must be paid, but the conversion is still processed. Ignoring this will block your QID processing and the fines will continue to grow.

Extending the Visit Visa While Waiting for RP Approval

If your family’s visit visa is approaching expiry while the RP application is still under review, you can extend the visit visa through Metrash simultaneously. This does NOT cancel or conflict with the pending RP application — they run as independent processes.

The medical test done for the visit visa extension does not need to be completely redone for the RP — a status update visit to the Medical Commission (QR 100) is sufficient.

Sons Turning 18 During the Process

If your son is close to his 18th birthday while the conversion is in progress, act urgently. Once he turns 18, he is no longer eligible for family RP sponsorship under Qatar law. The QID must be issued before his birthday for him to remain on your RP.

If he does turn 18 before the QID is issued, he will need to apply for a work visa or student visa to remain in Qatar legally. Consult with a PRO service if you’re in this situation.

Single Mothers as Sponsors

Single mothers in Qatar can sponsor children for family RP — this has been confirmed by multiple successful applicants in the expat community, despite some confusion around MOI hotline responses. The key is to meet the salary threshold and upload strong documentation: Certificate of Employment (COE), NOC from employer, attested birth certificates of the children.

If an initial application is rejected, visit the Duhail Immigration Office and present your case to the senior officer. Single-parent sponsorship cases are reviewed individually.

When Metrash Doesn’t Show the Conversion Option

Some sponsors find that the visa type change option simply does not appear in their Metrash app, even after RP approval and paying the QR 200 fee. This is a system quirk, not a rejection. The fix is straightforward: visit any MOI Service Centre and request the officer to process the visa type change manually. Bring the printed RP approval, original passport, and your QID, and pay the QR 500 at the counter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Starting the medical test late is the most expensive mistake families make. The 30-day countdown from conversion is firm — the QR 10,000 fine for missing it is real. Go to the Medical Commission within the first 3 days after the conversion is processed.

Not extending the visit visa while the RP application is pending is the second most common error. If the visit visa expires while you’re waiting for RP approval, overstay fines accumulate daily. Extension and RP application run independently — there is no reason not to extend.

Using the wrong MOI Service Centre for fingerprinting costs an extra trip. Wadi Al Banat / Duhail does not handle family RP fingerprinting. The CEID Salwa Road office is your safest bet — call ahead to confirm availability.

Forgetting National Address registration blocks future QID renewal. It takes 5 minutes in the Metrash app and should be done immediately after the QID is issued.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does my family need to leave Qatar to get the RP? No. The in-country conversion process means no exit and re-entry is required. The QR 500 fee is specifically designed to cover this scenario.

Q: How long does the full process take from RP approval to QID in hand? Typically 2 to 4 weeks from the conversion date — assuming no delays with the medical test results and fingerprinting. Plan for 3 weeks as your working estimate.

Q: My family’s visit visa expired while waiting for RP approval. What do I do? Go to any MOI Service Centre immediately. Pay the accumulated overstay fines plus the QR 500 conversion fee. The conversion can still be processed — don’t delay further as fines compound daily at QR 200 per day.

Q: Do I need bank statements to apply for the RP? No. Since August 2023, bank statements are no longer required to be uploaded on Metrash. Salary verification is done automatically via the Wage Protection System (WPS). Confirm your salary is WPS-compliant with your employer.

Q: Can my wife work once she has the family RP? She can apply for a work permit — a separate step done through Metrash — while maintaining family RP sponsorship. She cannot work in Qatar on the family RP alone without the additional work permit.

Q: My son turns 18 next month and we’re mid-process. What should I do? Accelerate everything. The QID must be issued before his 18th birthday. If it isn’t, he loses RP eligibility and will need an independent visa to remain in Qatar.

Q: What is WPS and why does it matter for my RP? The Wage Protection System is the MOI’s salary verification mechanism, fed by employer payroll submissions. Your salary must be processed through WPS for the RP application to clear automatically. Speak to your employer’s HR department to confirm.

Q: How do I track QID delivery if I applied via Metrash? Go to moi.gov.qa → Inquiries → QPost Service → QPost Requests Tracking → enter the sponsor’s QID number. QPost typically delivers within 3–5 working days after QID issuance.

Q: Can I convert my parents’ visit visa to RP? No. Family Residence Permits in Qatar cover only the spouse and children (sons under 18, unmarried daughters of any age). Parents are not eligible for family RP — only visit visas.

Summary

Converting a family visit visa to a residence permit in Qatar is a fully in-country process that requires no exit or re-entry. Once the RP is approved via Metrash, pay QR 200 (visa fee) + QR 500 (conversion fee), complete the medical test at Abu Hamour and fingerprinting at the CEID office within 30 days of conversion, then apply for the QID at QR 500 per year. Finally, register the National Address in Metrash. Done in the right order and within the 30-day window, your family moves from visitor to resident without ever boarding a flight home.

How to Convert a Family Visit Visa to a Residence Permit in Qatar