Expatriates (expats) can sponsor their immediate family members if they are residents in Qatar. Every family member, including newborns, must have an individual Family Residence (Residence Permit or RP) Visa. The RP can be purchased after applicants submit a number of documents and follow a number of different procedures to obtain an RP for a baby.

These procedures are as follows:

1. Apply for the baby’s birth certificate (if the baby was born in Qatar)

If your child is born in Qatar, it is essential to have your child’s birth registered to be able to get the identification documents. The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) issues birth certificates for children born in Qatar. Children born to foreign nationals are not entitled to Qatari nationality. Expatriate parents are responsible for registering their child’s birth with their respective country’s embassy as well and have a passport.

For more information on how to issue a birth certificate in Qatar, please click on the following link: https://www.iloveqatar.net/guide/living/how-to-issue-a-birth-certificate-in-qatar

If your child is born outside Qatar, you must have a birth certificate from the hospital the baby was born in, which must be attested by the Qatar Embassy in your country, and a passport.

2. Apply for the baby’s passport (if the baby was born in Qatar)

After you have the baby’s birth certificate, you must proceed to your Embassy in Doha and have the baby’s passport made. Your embassy will tell you what documents are needed.

3. Apply for the RP (if the baby was born in Qatar or outside)

Only with the birth certificate and the passport, can you proceed to the Immigration Office to apply for the RP. But before you do that, you must gather a number of different documents (all documents must be translated into Arabic by a certified government translation service) to take with you to the Immigration Office:

Documents required for a baby born in Qatar:

1. Resident Permit (Qatar ID) copy of parents
2. Marriage certificate of parents
3. Passport copies (parents and baby)
4. Letter of employment from your company (attested by Ministry)
5. Original No Objection letter from father’s employer to allow him to sponsor the newborn (this NOC letter must show job position, salary and type of contract).
6. Father’s original employment contract attested by Ministry of Labour, Administrative Development and Social Affairs.
7. Father’s original education certificates, notarised, attested and legalised
8. Father’s original bank salary statements for six months, which should be signed and sealed on all pages by the ban
   
9. Rental agreement attested by Ministry of Municipality and Environment (AlBaladiya)
10. Kahramaa bill for parents’ residence in Qatar.
    
11. Birth certificate of the baby (obtained from the hospital the baby was born in)
12. Vaccination card of baby
13. Passport size pictures of baby with blue background (at least 4)

Documents for a baby born outside Qatar:

For expats who choose to have their baby in their home country and then return to Qatar, further documentation is required. This documentation is also required in cases where the baby is born in Qatar but the father and mother are both sponsored by their employers, and also in cases where both the father and mother do not have an RP, or do not have a family RP.

1. Passport copies (parents and baby)
2. Resident permit (Qatar ID) copy of parents
3. Marriage certificate of parents (notarised, attested and legalised)
   
4. Father’s original employment contract attested by Ministry of Labour, Administrative Development and Social Affairs.
5. Father’s original education certificates (notarised, attested and legalised)
6. Father’s original bank salary statements for six months, which should be signed and sealed on all pages by the ban
7. Birth certificate of the baby (obtained from the hospital the baby was born in; notarised, attested and legalised)
   
8. Vaccination card of baby (notarised, attested and legalised)
9. Passport size pictures of baby with blue background (at least 4)

Additional documents required if the baby is on the mother's sponsorship:

If the baby is under the mother's sponsorship, a no objection letter will also be required from the baby's father that he has no problem with the baby being under the mother's sponsorship, in addition to the documents mentioned above.

Fill out the government form

There is a form that needs to be filled in Arabic before submitting it with the above-mentioned documents. Take all the required documents to Immigration. It’s best to take all the original documents as well in case you need to show them.

Submit the forms at the Immigration Office

Take a token at the entrance and submit your documents. The person behind the counter will check all the documents. If something is missing, you will have to add those documents and come back, but if all the documents are correct, they will be accepted. It's best to take any other documents with you that you think may be necessary, or you may have to make more trips to the Immigration Office.

Once the documents are submitted, you will be given a receipt with the Visa application number.

Check visa status on Metrash2

You can then check the status of the visa application via Metrash2. When it says "Ready to be Printed", it means the RP is ready for printing.

Get RP printed

Take the baby’s original passport and a passport photo with a blue background, along with the visa application receipt back to the Immigration Office. You will have to pay QR 500 – by card only, and they will print out the ID card.

Visa for baby (if born outside Qatar)

In many countries, it's a tradition for the expectant mother to be with her family for the delivery of the baby. That's why many expat mums-to-be in Qatar often travel home to give birth with the support and love of their family and friends.

After the baby is born, and the mother wants to return to Qatar with her baby, this FREE OF COST visa is granted to newborn babies who are less than 6 months old, when the baby enters with his/her parents or one of them through the Doha entry port.

Documents required to pass through immigration and obtain the newborn visa (on arrival):

1. The parent of the child must be a resident of Qatar and have a valid RP in the country.
2. One of the parents should be sponsored by the other.
3. The child's age must not exceed 6 months of age.
4. The original birth certificate of the child should be presented along with a separate passport.

Within two months of the baby’s entry into Qatar on a newborn visa, the parents must apply for the RP as detailed above.

For more information about getting an on-arrival visa for a baby born outside Qatar, please visit the following site: https://www.iloveqatar.net/guide/living/on-arrival-visas-for-babies-born-outside-qatar

Penalty if RP not applied within the two-month time limit

Whether the baby is born in Qatar or outside it, if you do not apply for the RP within two months of the baby being born in Qatar or arriving from outside Qatar, you will be charged a penalty of QR 10 per day till you get the RP for the baby issued.

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Nabeela

Content Writer

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