As part of the precautionary measures to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), a significant number of countries in the world including Qatar have travel restrictions in place. Due to this current situation, a lot of questions have arisen regarding the renewal of Residence Permits (RP), visa extensions, and travel restrictions! To help you with this situation, we have reached to the Government Contact Center to get your questions answered.
Scroll all the way down to know more!
Q: I am staying here on a family visit visa, and my country is under lockdown, can I get an extension? If yes, what is the process to avail of the visa validity extension?
A: Yes, you can get an extension and it can be done through Metrash2. However, remember that you can avail of the visa validity extension service one week before your visa expires. For example, if the visa expires on 30 June, you are eligible to renew it from 23 June.
In the event that if you can’t access this service through Metrash2 you have to visit the nearest immigration office.
Note that, to limit the spread of the Coronavirus, the General Administration of Passports and its service centers receive only those cases that cannot be accomplished through the application of Metrash2 and the website of the Ministry of Interior.
Q: I am currently staying in the Industrial area and it's under movement control. How can I extend my visa in this situation?
A: If you can't extend your visa through Metrash2, you may visit the Immigration office located in that area.
Q: So what about on-arrival and priorly issued tourist visas?
A: Visitors in Qatar on tourist visas (on-arrival and priorly issued visas) can stay in the country without extending their visas or paying any fee, taking into account their inability to return to their home countries due to closure of airports. Once the country declares that the conditions have returned to normal and flights start operation to their countries, they will be granted a grace period to leave the country.
For those with a business / standard tourist visa (not from a country eligible for visa on arrival), a request has to be made for the extension by the sponsor or travel agency to the Ministry of Interior. Make sure to include with the request, a copy of the passport, company CR, and a letter of request.
Q: I have lost my job, how long can I stay?
A: Normally you have 30 days to leave the country if your ID is canceled.
Q. My sponsor is leaving the country, what can I do under this situation? Have I to leave the country as well?
A: Yes, in that case, you have to leave the country.
Q: Any latest updates on sponsorship change?
A: To help curb the spread of COVID-19 in Qatar, Ministries have been encouraging the use of the e-services to complete necessary transactions. This includes the procedure for changing employer or sponsor which was normally done by submitting physical forms through the offices of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour, and Social Affairs (MADLSA) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Read here about the online procedure for changing company sponsorship in Qatar. If you come across any problems or technical issues, please contact the technical support at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs: [email protected] 40288888.
Q: If an expat stays outside of the country and his/her RP is expiring, is it possible to renew?
A: No, it's not possible to renew RP if a person lives outside Qatar.
Q: If I need RP renewal, can I still renew?
A: Yes, you can renew Residence Permits through MOI Eservices-portal or Metrash2 app. The Ministry of Interior allows individuals and companies in Qatar to renew residence permits online for 1 to 3 years. The service is available for Qataris, residents, and companies holding Qatari Smart ID Cards.
Q: I am a resident and I would like to issue a birth certificate for my newborn. What’s the procedure?
A: Within the framework of precautionary measures to prevent Coronavirus (Covid-19), the Ministry of Public Health announces that requests to issue birth certificates for newborns after receiving an advance date will be received, starting from Sunday, April 26th, 2020, and according to the recommended health precautions.
To book an appointment in advance, you can obtain an advance appointment by contacting registered birth registration offices in government and private hospitals from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Get more details below:
Q: Who can I contact if I have a query pertaining to my visa/RP issues?
A: You can get in touch with the Government Contact Center that can be reached via telephone at 109 (inside Qatar), 44069999, or by fax at 44069998. This service can answer any questions related to government services such as sponsorship transfer, visa-related, and many more! The service is available 24/7 in 9 different languages. Alternatively, you can contact though e-mail address ([email protected]).
Q: What are the operational routes now?
A: Qatar Airways is still operating flights to many cities around the world including London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Sydney, helping thousands of passengers get home safely. Check out operational routes here: Qatarairways.com/en/travel-alerts/COVID-19
Q: I am here on visit/tourist visa, I wish to go back to my home country? Is there any way for that?
A: A number of countries have issued restrictions on entry for overseas travelers. We recommend you to check with your respective embassy if there’s any special repatriation flight.
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