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Last Reviewed: February 2026 | Topic: Qatar Visa on Arrival | Reading Time: 13 minutes

Quick Answer: Over 100 countries qualify for Qatar visa on arrival or visa-free entry in 2026. GCC nationals enter completely free with no visa. Most Western, European, and many Asian passport holders receive a free or QAR 100 visa on arrival valid for 30 to 90 days. Indian, Pakistani, Thai, and Iranian nationals qualify for visa on arrival but must pre-book a hotel through Discover Qatar — or apply for a Hayya e-visa online to avoid that restriction. Check your specific entry category at visitqatar.com.

Qatar has quietly become one of the easiest countries to enter in the entire Middle East. Since the FIFA World Cup 2022 opened the country to a wave of international visitors, Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has significantly expanded its visa-on-arrival programme. As of 2026, travellers from over 100 countries can walk off a plane at Hamad International Airport and get an entry permit without applying for anything in advance.

But the rules are not the same for everyone — and the differences matter enormously depending on your passport. Some nationalities get 90 days free, some get 30 days free, some need to book a specific government-approved hotel before they fly, and some need to apply for an e-visa online first. Booking the wrong hotel, showing up without the right documents, or not knowing your exact entry tier can cause real problems at the immigration counter.

This guide breaks down the entire Qatar visa on arrival system into four clear tiers, explains the Hayya e-visa as a smarter alternative for certain nationalities, covers the Qatar-Oman joint visa and the free transit visa, and tells you exactly what to bring and what to expect when you land.

Understanding Qatar’s Entry System: Four Tiers

Qatar does not operate a single visa-on-arrival policy. There are four distinct entry categories, and the rules vary significantly between them. Knowing which tier your passport falls into is the first thing you need to establish before booking flights.

Tier 1 covers GCC nationals from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. No visa, no fee, no hotel requirement — just a passport or national ID card.

Tier 2 covers nationals of over 100 countries including most of Europe, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and large parts of Asia and South America. These travellers receive a free or QAR 100 visa on arrival, valid for either 30 or 90 days, with standard requirements only.

Tier 3 covers Indian, Pakistani, Thai, and Iranian nationals. These travellers are eligible for a visa on arrival — in many cases free of charge — but they must pre-book a hotel through the Discover Qatar website before departing their home country. This is a firm requirement and is enforced at check-in by airlines.

Tier 4 covers nationalities not included in Tiers 1 through 3. These travellers need to apply for a Hayya e-visa online at hayya.qa before travel. No walk-up visa on arrival is available for this group.

Tier 1: GCC Nationals — No Visa Required

Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates do not need a visa of any kind to enter Qatar. They can present their national identity card or passport at the immigration counter and proceed directly.

There is no fee, no hotel requirement, no return ticket check, and no limit on the number of trips. This open-access arrangement reflects the economic and political ties within the Gulf Cooperation Council and has been in place continuously, even through periods of diplomatic tension in the region.

Tier 2: Free or QAR 100 Visa on Arrival (Most Western and Asian Passports)

This is the category that covers the majority of international travellers visiting Qatar for tourism or short business trips.

Countries With a 90-Day Visa Waiver (Free)

Citizens of the following passport groups receive a visa waiver that is valid for 180 days from the date of arrival, allowing a cumulative stay of up to 90 days across single or multiple visits within that window. The stay cannot be extended beyond the 90-day total.

This category includes all European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Mauritius, Seychelles, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, and several others.

The visa waiver is technically issued upon arrival — passengers from these countries walk to the standard immigration counter, present their passport and return ticket, and receive the entry stamp. No QAR 100 payment is required.

US citizens receive a particularly generous arrangement: those with a US passport receive a visa valid for two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, enabling multiple entries with each stay of up to 90 days.

Countries With a 30-Day Visa on Arrival

A second group of countries receives a single-entry visa on arrival valid for 30 days, extendable for one additional 30-day period. The fee for this category is either free or QAR 100, depending on the specific nationality.

Countries in this tier include Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Georgia, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Maldives, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Suriname, Taiwan, Venezuela, and others.

What to Bring for Tier 2 Entry

Every traveller in this tier should arrive with the following:

A passport that is valid for at least 3 months beyond the date of arrival in Qatar. Do not assume that 3 months from departure covers you if there are transit stops — immigration measures from the Qatar arrival date.

A confirmed return or onward flight ticket. The ticket must show you are leaving Qatar before your visa expires. Open-jaw tickets that show departure from Qatar are accepted.

Proof of accommodation for the duration of the stay. This can be a hotel booking from any website, an Airbnb confirmation, or a written address and contact details of a friend or family member you will be staying with in Qatar. Unlike Tier 3 nationalities, Tier 2 travellers can book any hotel anywhere — there is no platform restriction.

Health insurance if you plan to stay for more than 30 days. Basic health insurance can be purchased at the airport on arrival for approximately QAR 50 per 30 days via approved providers. Some airlines and travel insurance providers also sell Qatar-valid policies.

Tier 3: India, Pakistan, Thailand, Iran — Visa on Arrival With Discover Qatar Hotel Requirement

This is the most misunderstood and most frequently searched part of Qatar’s visa on arrival policy — and the part where getting it wrong causes the most problems at the airport.

Citizens of India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Iran are eligible for a visa on arrival in Qatar. For Indian, Pakistani, and Thai nationals, the visa is free of charge. Iranian nationals pay a fee. But all four nationalities must complete one additional step that other countries do not: they must pre-book a hotel through the Discover Qatar website before they leave home.

The MOI currently requires travellers with passports issued by India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Iran to make a Discover Qatar VOA hotel booking before travelling. This requirement is enforced at airline check-in. If you board a flight to Doha without a Discover Qatar confirmation, you may be denied boarding or refused entry at the immigration counter.

The Discover Qatar Hotel Requirement: What You Need to Know

Discover Qatar is Qatar Airways’ tourism platform at discoverqatar.qa. It lists a selection of approved hotels in Doha at various price points.

The rules for the booking are:

Minimum stay is 2 nights. A 1-night booking is not accepted.
The hotel must be one listed on the Discover Qatar platform. Bookings from Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com, or any other third-party site do not satisfy this requirement.
Check-in time is 3:00 PM standard. If you land in the morning, you will not be able to check in until the afternoon — factor this into your first day plans.
Cancellations within 48 hours of arrival carry a 100% cancellation fee. If the MOI rejects your visa application, Discover Qatar charges a QAR 100 administrative fee.
Extensions of your initial stay are possible for most hotels but must be requested through Discover Qatar and are subject to availability.

The honest experience reported by Indian and Pakistani travellers in expat community forums is that the Discover Qatar hotel selection comes with significant limitations. Quality and service have been widely criticised compared to the same star rating from independently booked hotels. Flexibility is limited. The platform exists primarily as an accommodation verification mechanism rather than as a curated travel experience.

The Smarter Option: Hayya A3 E-Visa

If you hold an Indian, Pakistani, Thai, or Iranian passport, there is a straightforward way to avoid the Discover Qatar hotel restriction entirely.

Apply for a Hayya A3 e-visa at hayya.qa before your trip. Pay QAR 100 online, book a hotel from any website, and arrive at HIA with your visa already confirmed. The Discover Qatar hotel requirement applies specifically to the walk-up visa on arrival process. When you apply via Hayya in advance, you are entering on a different visa category and the hotel restriction does not apply.

This requirement is only mandatory for travellers coming on a visa on arrival and not for Hayya visas or family visit visas.

The Hayya A3 e-visa takes 1 to 3 business days to process. Apply at least a week before travel to leave comfortable buffer time.

Proof of Funds Requirement

Travellers from India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Iran must also demonstrate financial capacity at the immigration counter. The requirement is to show a credit card or debit card with a minimum available balance of USD 1,000 (approximately QAR 3,640) per family group. Alternatively, cash of at least QAR 5,000 may be accepted for some travel purposes.

For business travel by Iranian nationals specifically, an invitation letter from a Qatar-government-certified company is also required.

Holders of Schengen, USA, UK, or Canadian Visas or Residence Permits

This is one of the most valuable and least publicised parts of Qatar’s entry policy. If your passport is from a country that would normally need to apply for a Hayya e-visa in advance, you may still qualify for visa on arrival — provided you hold a valid visa or residence permit from the right country.

Nationals of any country who hold a valid, active Schengen Area visa, US visa, UK visa, or Canadian visa (or residence permit from any of these) are eligible for a visa on arrival in Qatar. The visa must be valid and must have been used at least once — an unactivated, freshly issued visa may raise questions at the immigration counter.

This is particularly significant for nationalities such as Nigerian, Kenyan, or Bangladeshi passport holders who live in the UK, work in Germany, or hold a valid US B1/B2 tourist visa. Their third-country immigration status unlocks Qatar entry on a VOA basis.

Fee: QAR 100 at the airport, or apply via the Hayya A2 visa online before travel to skip the airport queue entirely.

GCC Residents (Expats Living in Gulf Countries)

Expatriates who are legally residing in any GCC country on a valid residence permit are eligible for a visa on arrival in Qatar, regardless of their original nationality.

The conditions are:

Residence permit must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the arrival date in Qatar
The profession listed on the residence permit must fall within the MOI’s list of 206 approved categories
Fee: QAR 100 at the airport

This is relevant for the millions of South Asian, Southeast Asian, Arab, and Western expats living across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman who want to make a short trip to Doha.

The smarter option here, as with other groups, is to apply for a Hayya A2 visa online at hayya.qa before travel. The QAR 100 fee is the same, but you skip the airport VOA queue entirely.

The Qatar-Oman Joint Tourist Visa

Qatar and Oman offer a unique joint visa that allows travellers to visit both countries on a single document. This is an exceptional product for travellers who want to combine a Doha city break with exploring Muscat, Nizwa, or the Omani coastline on one trip.

The joint visa is:

Valid for 30 days in Qatar and 30 days in Oman
Multiple entry to both countries within the validity period
Extendable for an additional 30 days
Currently available to citizens of China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and a small number of other nationalities

Apply for it at hayya.qa or obtain it directly at HIA immigration on arrival. Bring evidence of your plan to visit both countries (flights or bus bookings between Doha and Muscat, for example).

Qatar Free Transit Visa for HIA Layovers

If you have a layover at Hamad International Airport and want to leave the terminal and explore Doha, Qatar offers a free transit visa for qualifying passengers.

The requirements are:

You must be flying on Qatar Airways for both legs of your journey
Your layover must be between 5 and 96 hours
The transit visa is completely free of charge
Valid for all nationalities

Apply through Qatar Airways when booking your tickets, or through the Discover Qatar website. You will be directed to a dedicated transit visa counter on arrival at HIA. Qatar Airways also actively promotes layover tourism packages through Discover Qatar, offering hotel discounts for transit travellers who want accommodation during their stopover.

If your layover is under 5 hours or you are transiting on a different airline, you remain airside in the terminal and do not need a transit visa.

Doha is an excellent layover city. Souq Waqif, The Pearl, the Museum of Islamic Art, and Mshereib Downtown are all within 20 to 30 minutes of HIA by taxi, making a 12-hour layover genuinely worthwhile.

The Hayya Platform: Qatar’s Official E-Visa System

The Hayya platform at hayya.qa is the official Qatar government e-visa system. Originally launched for FIFA World Cup 2022, it is now the permanent gateway for all advance visa applications.

The four Hayya visa categories are:

A1 Tourist Visa — for general tourism. Used by nationalities who are not eligible for free VOA and need to apply online in advance.

A2 Entry Visa — for expatriates residing in GCC countries. Equivalent to the GCC resident VOA but applied online in advance.

A3 Entry Visa — used by travellers from India, Pakistan, Thailand, Iran, and other restricted nationalities who want to bypass the Discover Qatar hotel requirement and book accommodation freely.

A4 Visa — for event or conference attendees.

To apply, go to hayya.qa, create a free account, select the correct visa category, fill in your passport details, upload a passport photo, enter your accommodation details, and pay QAR 100 by card. Approval arrives by email within 1 to 3 business days for most applications.

The Hayya e-visa is strongly recommended for any traveller who has the option to apply in advance. It removes airport uncertainty, eliminates queuing at the VOA counter, and for Tier 3 nationalities it removes the Discover Qatar hotel restriction entirely.

General Requirements Checklist for Qatar Visa on Arrival

Before you fly, confirm you have the following:

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months from your arrival date in Qatar. A passport with less than 3 months remaining may be rejected at check-in by the airline before you even reach Qatar.

You need a confirmed return or onward ticket. The flight must be booked and confirmed, not just a search result or tentative itinerary. Open-jaw itineraries showing exit from Qatar are accepted.

You need proof of accommodation. For Tier 2 nationalities, this means any hotel or host address. For Tier 3 nationalities (India, Pakistan, Thailand, Iran) doing walk-up VOA, this must be a Discover Qatar booking.

A credit or debit card is strongly recommended. For Tier 3 nationalities it is a formal requirement (USD 1,000 minimum balance shown). For all other nationalities it is advisable to have one to demonstrate financial sufficiency if asked.

If your stay will exceed 30 days, arrange health insurance. Policies from approved providers start at around QAR 50 per 30-day period and can be purchased at HIA on arrival or online in advance.

Every traveller including children must have their own visa or entry permit. There is no family grouping on a single visa document.

How to Extend Your Qatar Visa on Arrival

For 30-day VOA holders, one extension of 30 additional days is available, bringing the maximum stay to 60 days.

For 90-day waiver holders, the stay cannot be extended beyond the 90-day cumulative limit within the 180-day window.

To extend a 30-day VOA: visit any MOI Service Centre in Doha before your current visa expires and pay QAR 200 per person. For Indian, Pakistani, Thai, and Iranian nationals, the extension must be done in person at an MOI Service Centre as online extension may not be available for these nationalities.

Never allow your visa to expire without either leaving Qatar or completing an extension. Overstay fines are QAR 200 per day from the day after the visa expiry date. These fines must be paid before you can depart Qatar.

What You Cannot Do on a Qatar Visa on Arrival

A Qatar visa on arrival or tourist e-visa is for tourism and short business visits only. You cannot work in Qatar on a VOA — any paid employment requires a separate work visa issued under a registered employer’s sponsorship. You cannot enrol in full-time academic programmes. You cannot convert your VOA to a work permit while inside Qatar without exiting and re-entering on the correct visa category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I visit Qatar without a visa? Yes, if you hold a GCC passport (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE) or a passport from one of the 100+ countries eligible for visa on arrival or the 90-day waiver. Check visitqatar.com for your specific nationality.

Q: What is the Qatar visa on arrival fee? It depends on your nationality. Many countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and most of Europe receive the visa free. QAR 100 applies to other eligible nationalities. Iranian nationals pay a fee for their visa on arrival.

Q: How long can I stay in Qatar on a visa on arrival? Either 30 or 90 days, depending on your nationality. The 30-day VOA can be extended once for an additional 30 days.

Q: Do Indian nationals get visa on arrival in Qatar? Yes, Indian nationals are eligible for a free 30-day visa on arrival. However, they must pre-book a hotel through Discover Qatar (discoverqatar.qa) and carry a credit or debit card showing a minimum balance of USD 1,000. The smarter alternative is to apply for a Hayya A3 e-visa online before travel, which removes the Discover Qatar requirement.

Q: Do Pakistani nationals get visa on arrival in Qatar? Yes, with the same conditions as Indian nationals above: Discover Qatar hotel pre-booking required, proof of funds required, or apply via Hayya A3 e-visa to bypass these restrictions.

Q: Can I get a Qatar visa on arrival if I have a US visa? Yes. Holders of a valid US visa (or Schengen, UK, or Canadian visa/residence permit) qualify for a Qatar visa on arrival regardless of their original passport nationality. Fee is QAR 100 at the airport.

Q: What is the Hayya visa and how is it different from visa on arrival? The Hayya visa is a Qatar e-visa applied for online before travel at hayya.qa. It costs QAR 100, processes in 1 to 3 business days, and eliminates the need to queue at the airport immigration VOA counter. For nationalities that require Discover Qatar hotel booking for walk-up VOA (India, Pakistan, Thailand, Iran), the Hayya A3 e-visa is the better option as it removes that hotel restriction entirely.

Q: Can I extend my Qatar visa on arrival? Most 30-day VOA visas can be extended for one additional 30-day period at any MOI Service Centre for QAR 200. The 90-day waiver cannot be extended.

Q: Is the Qatar transit visa free? Yes. The Qatar transit visa for HIA layovers is completely free for all nationalities, provided you are travelling on Qatar Airways with a layover between 5 and 96 hours.

Q: What happens if I overstay my Qatar visa? A fine of QAR 200 per day applies from the day after your visa expires. This fine must be paid in full before you can leave Qatar.

Q: Do children need a separate visa? Yes. Every traveller including infants and children must hold their own visa or entry permit. There is no provision for children to be included on a parent’s visa document in Qatar.

Q: Can I enter Qatar by road and get a visa on arrival? Yes. The same VOA eligibility applies at the Abu Samra land border crossing with Saudi Arabia. Pre-registering on the Hayya platform is recommended for smoother land border processing.

Summary

Qatar’s visa on arrival system in 2026 is genuinely open and accessible. GCC nationals enter free. Over 100 nationalities receive a free or QAR 100 visa on arrival at Hamad International Airport valid for 30 or 90 days. Indian, Pakistani, Thai, and Iranian nationals qualify for visa on arrival but must use Discover Qatar for hotel booking — or apply smarter via the Hayya A3 e-visa online to remove that restriction. All other nationalities who need advance authorisation apply through hayya.qa. Regardless of which category you fall into, applying through Hayya before you fly is always the more controlled, less stressful option.

Always confirm your specific entry requirements at the official Visit Qatar portal at visitqatar.com before booking flights, as Qatar’s visa policy is updated regularly.

Qatar Visa on Arrival: Which Countries Qualify and How It Works (2026)