Last Reviewed: February 2026 | Topic: Qatar Family RP Medical Test | Reading Time: 13 minutes

Quick Answer: The medical test for a Qatar family residence visa is done at the Medical Commission in Abu Hamour (Al Muntazah Street, off E-Ring Road). Bring the original passport, visa copy, and a card for the QAR 100 fee. Tests include blood screening for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, plus a chest X-ray for tuberculosis. Results are ready within 24–72 hours and can be checked on the MOPH website or received by SMS. Children under 15 are exempt from the full test.

The day your family’s residence permit gets approved is a good day. But it’s also the day a 30-day countdown begins. Every adult family member who enters Qatar on a family RP visa must complete a medical examination at the Medical Commission, followed by fingerprinting at an MOI Service Centre, before their Qatar ID (QID) can be issued — all within 30 days of arrival.

For most expat families in Qatar, this is the part of the process that causes the most anxiety. What tests are done? What if something comes back abnormal? Where exactly is the Medical Commission? Which entrance do you use? What does a status of “Please check at the information desk” mean?

This guide covers all of it — from the moment your family lands in Doha to the moment the QID is in their hands. We also cover the medical test required for family visit visa extensions, and the important differences between the two.

Table of Contents

Who Needs to Do the Medical Test in Qatar?

Family RP (Residence Permit) Applicants

Every adult aged 15 and above who enters Qatar on a family residence permit visa must complete the medical examination at the Medical Commission in Doha. This applies regardless of nationality, profession, or the sponsor’s status. The purpose is to screen for communicable diseases before permanent residency is granted — it is a non-negotiable requirement under Qatar’s public health framework.

Unlike the work visa medical test (which is done before arrival via Qatar Visa Centres abroad), the family RP medical test must be done inside Qatar after your family member arrives. There is no pre-departure option for this category.

Family Visit Visa Extension Applicants

If your family member arrived on a family visit visa and wants to extend beyond the initial 30 days, they also need a medical test — but a simpler version. The visit visa extension medical test includes blood tests only: no chest X-ray, no physical examination.

Who Is Exempt?

Children under 15 years old do not need to undergo the full blood test and X-ray. However, depending on how the RP is structured, they may still need to visit the Medical Commission for system registration. Check the Metrash app — if the “Issue Residence Permit” option appears for the child without the medical step, no visit is required.

Pregnant women are exempt from the chest X-ray. Bring a doctor’s letter or hospital certificate confirming the pregnancy. Blood tests are still conducted normally. After delivery, a follow-up visit to update the medical record may be requested before the QID is finalised.

Two Scenarios — Which Medical Test Applies to You?

Understanding which test you need saves you from wasted trips and incorrect expectations.

	Family RP Medical Test	Visit Visa Extension Medical Test
Purpose	RP processing + QID issuance	Extending stay beyond 30 days
Tests	Blood test + Chest X-ray + Physical exam	Blood test only
Location	Medical Commission, Abu Hamour	Medical Commission, Abu Hamour
Fee	QAR 100 per adult	QAR 100 per adult
Children	Exempt (under 15)	Exempt
When	After arrival, within 30 days	Within first 30 days of arrival
Results	24–72 hours	24–72 hours

Switching from Visit Visa to RP Without a New Test: If your family member did the blood test for a visit visa extension and you’re now converting their status to a residence permit, they do not need to redo the full medical examination. Visit the Medical Commission, pay QAR 100, and request a status change from “visit visa” to “residence permit” in the system. A brief general check-up may be done, but the full blood and X-ray process is not repeated.

Medical Commission: Location, Timings & What to Expect

Where Is It?

The Medical Commission Department is located on Al Muntazah Street, off the E-Ring Road, in the Abu Hamour area of Doha. The nearest landmark is the Woqod Petrol Station on the Industrial Area side. If you’re using Google Maps, search for “Medical Commission Department Qatar” — it will bring you directly to the correct location.

Opening Hours

The Medical Commission operates Sunday to Thursday, with two sessions:

Morning: 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Afternoon: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday and Saturday: Closed

Queue warning: On busy days (particularly Sundays and Mondays), the token machine stops issuing numbers up to 90 minutes before the official closing time. If you arrive at 6:00 PM on a busy day, you may be turned away. Plan accordingly.

Male and Female Entrances — This Is Important

The Medical Commission has separate entrances for male and female visitors. Many first-time visitors arrive at the main gate and walk in the wrong direction, wasting time.

Male entrance: Walk straight through the main gate, continue to the main building, then take the first right.
Female entrance: Turn right immediately after entering the main gate.

Men are not permitted inside the female section under any circumstances — including sponsors, husbands, or fathers. If a female visitor needs assistance, one female companion may accompany her inside.

Dress code for female visitors: Ankle-length dresses or trousers are required. Dresses or skirts above the knee are not permitted entry. This rule is strictly enforced at the entrance — dress appropriately before arriving.

Queue & Timing Tips (From People Who’ve Done It)

The single best strategy is to arrive at 7:00 AM sharp when the morning session opens. The queue forms before the gate opens, so arriving at 7:15 AM often means a significantly longer wait.

If mornings don’t work for your family’s schedule, mid-week afternoons (Tuesday and Wednesday, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM) tend to be the least crowded times of the week.

Avoid Sundays and Mondays entirely if possible — these are consistently the busiest days, with waits reaching 2–3 hours on peak weeks.

Bring water, a snack, and something to do. The waiting area is air-conditioned but the wait can be long.

Payment: Cards Only

The Medical Commission fee is QAR 100 per person paid by debit or credit card. Cash is not accepted. If your family member does not have a Qatar bank card yet, there is a bank counter located near the women’s entrance that issues temporary debit cards for a small service fee.

Documents to Bring for the Medical Test

For Family RP:

Original passport (mandatory — the counter will not process a copy)
Visa copy (the family RP visa document) — printed or on a mobile phone screen
Contact phone number (to receive results via SMS)
Debit or credit card

For Visit Visa Extension:

Original passport
Copy of the current visit visa (printed or digital)
Debit or credit card

For Children (RP registration only):

Original passport of the child
RP visa copy

For Pregnant Women:

Doctor’s certificate confirming pregnancy (for the X-ray exemption)
Original passport + visa copy

What Happens Inside — The Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Take a Token

Enter through the correct entrance for your gender and take a numbered token from the token machine near the entrance. On very busy days, a Medical Commission staff member may be manually issuing tokens at the gate. The number on your token corresponds to your place in the queue.

Step 2: Wait to Be Called

Screens throughout the waiting area display the current token number being served. Wait until your number appears, then approach the designated counter.

Step 3: Registration Counter

Present your original passport, visa copy, and your contact mobile number. The staff member enters your details into the Medical Commission system and hands you a printed receipt with your MC number (Medical Commission reference number). Keep this receipt — you will need it to check your results online.

Step 4: Pay QAR 100

Pay at the payment counter using a debit or credit card. A payment confirmation receipt is issued.

Step 5: Blood Test Room

A phlebotomist will draw a small blood sample. The blood is screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. This takes about 2–3 minutes. If you or your family member have any needle anxiety, inform the staff — they are experienced and handle this daily with hundreds of patients.

Step 6: Chest X-Ray (RP Applicants Only)

For family RP applicants, you’ll be directed to the X-ray room for a standard chest radiograph to screen for active tuberculosis. The process takes under 5 minutes. Pregnant women who have brought a doctor’s certificate will be directed to skip this step.

Step 7: Physical Examination (RP Applicants Only)

A Medical Commission doctor conducts a brief general check-up: blood pressure, weight, and a visual general assessment. This is routine and takes about 5 minutes. There is no need for anxiety — this is not a full clinical examination.

Step 8: Done — Leave and Wait for Results

Once the physical exam is complete, your family member is free to leave. Results are not available immediately. The lab processes results overnight, and most people receive them within 24 to 72 hours.

The full process from token to exit takes between 45 minutes and 3 hours, depending on the queue.

How to Check Qatar Medical Test Results Online

Via SMS (Metrash-Linked)

If you — the sponsor — have the Metrash app active on your phone with your registered mobile number linked to your QID, you will receive an SMS notification when results are ready. The SMS will indicate whether the result is FIT or if there is a status to review.

Via the MOPH Website (For Everyone)

This method works for anyone, including the visitor themselves checking from abroad before deciding to fly.

Go to the Ministry of Public Health website at moph.gov.qa
Navigate to Health Services → Medical Test Results
Select “Identity Type”
Enter the MC Number from the receipt issued during registration — OR the Visa Number
Enter the Date of Test
Click Submit
The result will display as FIT, UNFIT, or still in processing

Note: Qatar ID number cannot be used for this check — new RP holders do not have a QID yet at this stage.

What “Please Check at the Information Desk” Means

If you see this message on the MOPH portal instead of a FIT or UNFIT result, do not panic. This message means the Medical Commission needs to speak to you in person — it does not automatically mean you have failed. The most common reasons are an inconclusive test result that needs secondary review, or an administrative data entry issue.

Visit the Medical Commission headquarters during working hours, bring the original passport and your MC number receipt, and speak to the information desk on the ground floor.

What Happens After Passing the Medical Test

A FIT result does not complete the RP process. Two more steps remain before the QID is issued.

Fingerprinting at an MOI Service Centre

Take the original passport and MC number printout to any MOI Service Centre — except Wadi Al Banat or Duhail, which do not handle RP fingerprinting for family members. The Mesaimeer MOI Service Centre is the most commonly used location for this and has dedicated RP counters with shorter queues for family visa cases.

Fingerprinting applies to adults only (15 years and above). Children are registered without biometric fingerprinting.

QID Printing

After fingerprinting is completed and logged in the MOI system, the QID can be printed. This is also handled at the MOI Service Centre. Bring QAR 100 for the QID printing fee. The physical card is usually ready within 2–3 working days.

The 30-Day Rule

Everything — medical test, fingerprinting, and QID printing — must be completed within 30 days of arrival. If your family member entered on an RP visa converted from a visit visa, the 30 days starts from the conversion date, not the original entry date.

Do not leave this until the last week. If anything goes wrong — a delayed result, a busy fingerprinting counter, a system issue — you’ll have no buffer.

What If Your Family Member Gets an “UNFIT” Result?

This is the most feared outcome of the entire process, and the least understood. Here is what actually happens.

What Causes an Unfit Result?

Qatar’s medical test screens for communicable diseases. The conditions that lead to an unfit result are:

Definitive disqualifiers (no appeal):

Active Tuberculosis (TB) confirmed on X-ray and blood work
HIV positive result
Active, untreated Hepatitis B or C

Conditions that trigger secondary review (not automatic disqualifiers):

Chest X-ray showing old TB scars (not active disease)
Inconclusive blood panel requiring repeat testing
Borderline or flagged results that need a specialist to review

Conditions that do NOT cause an unfit result:

Diabetes
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Asthma or respiratory conditions (non-infectious)
Managed thyroid disorders
Fatty liver (non-infectious)
Previous surgeries or chronic non-communicable conditions

If your family member has a pre-existing condition that they are concerned about, note that Qatar’s medical screening is specifically focused on infectious disease risk — it is not a general health fitness test for overall wellness.

The Appeal Process (7-Day Window)

If an unfit result is received, you have approximately 7 days from the notification date to request a formal review. To do this:

Visit the Medical Commission headquarters in person
Bring the original passport and MC number receipt
Present any supporting medical documentation from your home country — specialist reports, treatment history, lab results
The Medical Commission may direct you to Doha Clinic Hospital or another approved facility for a secondary confirmatory test (such as a CT scan for borderline TB X-rays)
The Medical Commission’s decision after secondary review is final

The appeal process works most effectively for borderline cases — old TB scars, inconclusive panels, or clerical errors. For confirmed active HIV or active TB, the outcome is visa cancellation and departure from Qatar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do the medical test on the day my family arrives in Qatar? You can try, but the entry record often takes up to 24 hours to register in the Medical Commission system. If the counter cannot find your family member’s entry in the system, they’ll ask you to return the next day. Day 2 or 3 after arrival is the practical sweet spot.

Do children under 15 need to go to the Medical Commission at all? Usually not for the full test. However, some RP cases require a system registration visit for children — check whether the “Issue Residence Permit” option appears for the child in Metrash without a medical step. If it does, no visit needed. If it doesn’t, call the Medical Commission (+974 4467 9111) to confirm.

How long are the medical test results valid? Results are valid for 3 months from the date of the test. If fingerprinting and QID are not completed within this window, the test may need to be redone.

My family member’s visit visa expires before results come back — will they be fined for overstay? No, provided you submitted the extension application via Metrash before the visa expiry date. Submit the extension request as soon as the medical test is done — do not wait for the results to return before applying.

Can we check the medical results from outside Qatar? Yes. The MOPH website can be accessed from anywhere. With the MC number and date of test, anyone can check the result — including family members who are still planning their travel and want to verify their result before flying.

My wife is pregnant — will the medical test delay her RP? No. The pregnancy exempts her from the X-ray. Blood tests are completed normally. The RP can proceed. A follow-up visit after delivery may be required to update her medical record before QID renewal.

What is the Medical Commission phone number? +974 4467 9111. The lines are busy during morning sessions — try calling between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM for better chances of getting through.

Is the QAR 100 fee refundable if the RP is later rejected? No. The medical test fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the visa process.

What does “non-reactive Hepatitis B” mean in the results? Non-reactive means the test came back negative — no infection detected. This is a good result. Many expats confuse “non-reactive” with a problem. It is the result you want.

Summary

The medical test for a Qatar family residence visa is mandatory for all adults aged 15 and above and must be completed at the Medical Commission in Abu Hamour within 30 days of arrival. The process involves blood tests and a chest X-ray for RP applicants, costs QAR 100 per person, and produces results within 24–72 hours via the MOPH website or SMS. After passing, fingerprinting and QID printing at the Mesaimeer MOI Service Centre are the final two steps before your family is fully settled in Qatar.

Go on a weekday morning, bring the right documents, use a card for payment, and don’t let the 30-day window slip past you.

Medical Test for Family Residence Visa in Qatar in 2026