NOTE: Please check the official MOPH website before you make any travel plans and call the relevant entity or authority to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

The Ministry of Public Health has announced the following updates regarding the travel and return policy for COVID-19, effective Wednesday, 16 March 2022 at 7 pm.​

Changes will support the smooth entry into Qatar for travelers

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has announced a set of updates to its COVID-19 Travel and Return Policy. The policy updates come into effect from Wednesday 16 March 2022 at 7 pm local Qatar time.

The key policy updates include:

• GCC and EU nationals and residents, who meet the immunity criteria, can use the authorized health information app for COVID-19 from their country and will not need to complete the Ehteraz website pre-travel registration
• Performing a pre-travel to Qatar PCR test for GCC and EU nationals and residents is optional, unless the country of departure is listed in the Red Health Measures Travelers who do not perform a pre-travel PCR test must have a Rapid Antigen at Test at an authorized medical center within 24 hours of arrival in Qatar. Travelers with the pre-travel PCR test are exempt from a Rapid Antigen Test after arrival.
• The validity of COVID-19 dose or immunity from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine booster or following recovery from infection has been extended to 12 months, in line with the Ministry's recent announcement.

The changes aim to facilitate smooth entry into Qatar for all travelers while safeguarding Qatar's population from COVID-19 through the implementation of appropriate health checks on travelers entering the country. The Ministry stated that all travelers must download and activate the Ehteraz app to gain entry to public places in Qatar.

MOPH has announced a set of updates to its COVID-19 Travel and Return Policy. The policy updates come into effect from Wednesday 16 March 2022 at 7pm local Qatar time.https://t.co/DOTCyk9TOr pic.twitter.com/VWy5BAPk4J

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) March 15, 2022

If you are travelling to Qatar before, 16 March 2022, 7 pm, check the travel and return policy here.

Immunity Status:

• Immune-Vaccinated: Anyone who received any of the following COVID-19 vaccines approved/recognized by the Ministry of Public Health within its immunity validity period:

• Valid for nine (9) months from fourteen (14) days after 2nd dose vaccination of Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zenica COVID-19 vaccines.​
• Valid for twelve (12) months after the booster dose vaccination of Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zenica COVID-19 vaccines.
• Valid for nine (9) months from 2 weeks after the 1st dose of Jansen & Jansen COVID-19 vaccine.
• Valid for twelve (12) months from seven (7) days of receiving the booster dose of Jansen & Jansen COVID-19 vaccine.
• Valid for six (6) months from fourteen (14) days after the 2nd dose or booster dose of conditionally approved COVID-19 vaccines, where a posi​​​tive Serology on Antibody Test lab result is required and is valid for 30 days from testing; If the traveler is unable to take a Serology Antibody test in the country of origin or if the Antibody test result appear negative, the traveler must undergo relevant quarantine for 5 days; Those who received booster dose using MOPH approved vaccines immune status is extended to twelve (12) months from fourteen (14) days after the booster dose and Serology Antibody test is no longer required.

• Immune-Recovered: Anyone who had a medically confirmed COVID-19 infection acquired either locally or overseas is considered to have immune status valid for twelve (12) months from the date of the infection. There should be an official and verifiable laboratory test result as evidence of the past infection.
• Non-immune/Unvaccinated: Anyone who does not meet any of the above criteria.

List of Approved and Conditionally Approved Vaccines by the Ministry of Public Health​:

Travelers who are vaccinated outside Qatar are required to submit the original vaccine certificate and any other supporting documents –in Arabic or English language– as a proof that they have obtained the vaccine and should at least include the following information:

• The name of the traveler must be identical to that on the passport.
• Doses and dates of vaccine given (one dose for Jansen vaccine and two doses for other vaccines).
• Type/name of vaccine.
• The serial number of the vaccine batch and QR code (if available).​

Check the country list based on level of COVID-19 risk, effective 28 February 2022 here.

General policy:​

1. Based on COVID-19 epidemiology in different countries and their local health risk indicators, Qatar has developed specific health and safety measures for travelers coming to Qatar – Standard Health Measures and Red Health Measures.
2. Citizens and residents are free to travel abroad at any time provided that the Travel and Return Policy is adhered to when returning to Qatar.
3. The Ministry of Public Health advises citizens and residents to look up and comply with COVID-19 health measures currently in place in the destination country.
4. Travelers are responsible for keeping up to date with changes to the Travel and Return Policy through official sources before planning to travel to Qatar.
5. Travelers must comply with Qatar's COVID-19 procedures at all time to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
6. Travelers who are required to have a PCR lab result before traveling to Qatar must have it at a medical center authorized by the health authorities in the country of departure. A negative test result is required and must be obtained no more than 48 hours before the time of departure from the country of origin. (Please see the pre-travel test rules for detailed guidance.)
   
7. Unvaccinated children below the age of 12 years travelling with immune or recovered parent/s will follow the same rules that apply to their parent/s and are not required to have a pre-travel PCR test but only post-arrival test (Rapid Antigen Test) at the following locations:
   

   a. Citizens and Residents: at any public/private clinic within 24 hours of arrival in Qatar and parent/s must sign an Undertaking form.
   b. GCC Citizens (non-resident) and Visitors: if parent/s are exempted from quarantine, testing for children will be at the port of entry (airport, land, sea) upon arrival in Qatar; if parent/s are subject to hotel quarantine, testing will be at the quarantine hotel.
   

8. Documentary requirements for non-residents of Qatar:
   a) For GCC nationals and GCC residents who meets the immunity criteria, the following COVID health app used in any of the GCC countries shall be honored and accepted in Qatar in lieu of online pre-travel registration on condition that it reflects Immune status:​
   

   ​Bahrain​	​BeAware Bahrain
   ​Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	​Tawakkalna
   ​Kuwait	​Shlonik
   ​Oman	​Tarassud
   ​United Arab Emirates	​​Al Hosn

   
   b) COVPass health app for EU nationals and EU residents shall be honored and accepted in Qatar in lieu of online registration on condition that they meet the immunity criteria and reflected in the COVPass app.
   
   Travelers who hold any of the above health apps shall be exempted from online registration and are required to proceed to any authorized private clinics for Rapid Antigen Test within 24hours of their arrival in Qatar. Pre-travel RT-PCR test is required for immune and non-immune travelers coming from the countries under Red Health Measures. Meanwhile, non-immune travelers must register on the pre-travel registration platform and submit their pre-travel PCR test.
   
   ​Travelers of the above two categories are reminded that it is mandatory to download and activate Qatar’s Ehteraz mobile health app as soon as they arrive.
   ​
   c) Non-residents of Qatar who are non-immune/unvaccinated OR who does not fall in the above 2 categories must register via the pre-travel registration system for people entering the State of Qatar on ww​w.ehteraz.gov.qa website and upload all relevant official documents, where applicable, such as vaccination certificates, evidence of previous COVID-19 infection, serology antibody test results (for conditional vaccines), and PCR lab result at least 3 days before arrival. Although uploading the PCR test result is not mandatory during the electronic pre-registration process, travelers who are required to have pre-travel PCR test, must present the original copy of the PCR test result to the airlines in order to allow them to board the plane, or at the country’s ports (land and sea). Your pre-travel online registration will help accelerate your passage and clearance at the port of arrival for a better arrival experience in Qatar.
   
9. While pre-travel registration remains optional for citizens and residents of Qatar, the Ministry of Public Health recommends that all individuals entering Qatar pre-register to ensure the best experience upon arrival particularly those traveling with unvaccinated family members who are required to complete home quarantine as they are required to sign an Undertaking which is readily available in the Ehteraz online registration.
10. The Ministry of Public Health has the right to conduct random COVID-19 testing (Rapid Antigen Test or PCR) of travelers upon arrival in Qatar through its air, land and sea ports.
11. Travelers must download the Ehteraz mobile application and activate it on their mobile phones using a local or international SIM card.
    
12. All passengers must sign an Undertaking and Acknowledgement Form​ before arriving in Qatar. The form is available on the Ministry of Public Health website, pre-registration platform website www.ehteraz.gov.qa​and airline online booking form. Citizens and residents are exempted from this requirement on the condition that they are fully vaccinated inside the State of Qatar arriving from one of the countries to which Standard Health Measure apply.
13. Self-testing of Rapid Antigen is not applicable to travelers. Post-travel/upon arrival Rapid Antigen Testing must be conducted at an authorized healthcare facility: (Please see our post-travel testing policy for detailed instructions) as follows:

    a.​ Citizens and Residents: at any public (PHCC) or Private clinic.
    b. GCC Citizens (non-resident) and Visitors: anyone subject to home quarantine with first-degree relatives shall have their testing done at any authorized private clinics; for unvaccinated children below 12 yrs old who are accompanied by parent/s exempted from quarantine, testing will be at the port of entry (airport, land, sea).
    c. Travelers who are subject to hotel quarantine will have their testing done at the hotel.
    

14. Travelers who are required to complete quarantine in a hotel quarantine facility must book a Welcome-Home quarantine package through Discover Qatar’s website https://www.discoverqatar.qa/welcome-home/.
    
15. In the case of home quarantine, accommodation conditions must be appropriate, and if the property does not comply with the conditions mentioned in the undertaking, the traveler must book the hotel quarantine package through Discover Qatar's website before travelling to Qatar.
    
16. Travelers arriving in Qatar should go to the COVID-19 test clinic at the entry port in case of any COVID-19-related symptoms and take the necessary isolation measures.
    
17. Travelers should not go to work or mix with others until the Rapid Antigen Test result is out.
    
18. For unvaccinated travelers, their health status in the Ehteraz app will be Yellow because they are under quarantine (please review the quarantine policy for detailed instructions).
    
19. Travelers should, on regular basis, check the MoPH Travel and Return Policy for up-to-date detailed guidance according to the country classification and health and safety measures.​
    
20. Mekhaines quarantine period shall remain at 7 days for non-immune/unvaccinated​.

Group 1: Citizens and Residents of Qatar​

​

Group 2: GCC Citizens (who are Non-Residents)​ and Visitors (*)

​

* Please refer to the general policy for more information about pre-registration

Ehteraz Mobile Application Policy​:

• Passengers arriving in Qatar must download and activate the Ehteraz app on their mobile devices upon arrival at Qatar’s entry ports. To do so, the traveler must have the following:
  
  1. SIM card from one of Qatar's service providers (Ooredoo or Vodafone) or an international SIM card.​
  2. ​Mobile internet connection.
     
  3. The smartphone should support Android 6, newer versions or IOS 13.5 and later versions.​
     
  4. Download and install the app on the mobile phone either via Google Play, Apple App Store or from any online search engines.​
     
  5. SIM cards and smartphones are available for purchase at Hamad International Airport and Abu Samra border crossing if the passenger does not own them before arrival.
• Diplomats, administrative card holders and VIP visitors arriving on official state visits are excluded from this measure.
  
• The Health Status on the Ehteraz app will remain yellow throughout the quarantine period, until the result of the COVID-19 test comes out negative in accordance with the above quarantine policy.
• The Heath Status on the Ehteraz mobile app for fully vaccinated persons in Qatar will remain green with a golden frame to indicate that they are excluded from quarantine if the result of the PCR test is negative and that they have completed 14 days from the date of the prescribed doses of the vaccine.
  
• The Health Status for citizens and residents who have received the vaccine outside Qatar will remain green without a golden frame until their vaccine data is updated in the system.
  
• The Health Status on the Ehteraz app for visitors who have received the vaccine outside Qatar will remain green without a golden frame until their vaccine data is updated in the system.

COVID-19 tests cost:

RELATED: Qatar reduces COVID-19 red list to only 7 countries

Source: Ministry of Public Health (MOPH)

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