What the Ministry of Interior actually charges for entry visas, residence permits and renewals — and which costs the law requires your employer to bear.
Overview
Visa and residence fees in Qatar are set by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and administered through the Hayya e-visa platform and the Metrash2 mobile application. Qatar operates a sponsorship-based residency system: employers (or family sponsors) obtain an entry visa for the expatriate, who then converts it into a Residence Permit (RP) — the physical Qatar ID card, also called the QID — within 30 days of arrival. The MOI fee schedule distinguishes between entry visa types and the subsequent RP issuance and renewal. Tourist and short-stay entry via the Hayya platform costs QAR 100 for a standard 30-day visit visa (A1 category). Employment entry visas and RP issuance fees are employer-paid obligations under Qatar Labour Law; employers may not recover these government fees from the worker. The minimum wage, introduced in March 2021, sits at QAR 1,000 per month basic plus QAR 500 accommodation and QAR 300 food allowances where those are not provided in kind. Fees verified against portal.moi.gov.qa and gco.gov.qa as of June 2026.
Entry Visa Types — Hayya Platform (portal.moi.gov.qa/qatarvisas)
| Visa category | Code | Fee | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist Visa (online/on-arrival) | A1 | QAR 100 | 30 days, extendable |
| GCC Resident Visa (on-arrival) | A2 | QAR 100 | 30 days, extendable |
| Visa with Electronic Travel Authorisation | A3 | QAR 100 | 30 days |
| Companion of GCC Citizen Visa | A4 | QAR 100 | 30 days |
| Visa-Free (selected nationalities) | F1 | Nil | 30 days |
| Multiple-Entry Visit Visa | — | Set by MOI — verify at portal.moi.gov.qa | Up to 180 days |
Residence Permit (RP / QID) — Costs and Employer Obligations
- Employment Entry Visa: Issued by the sponsor/employer through the Ministry of Labour and MOI. The employer must bear all government fees for the employment entry visa; specific fee amounts are set by the MOI — verify the current schedule at portal.moi.gov.qa.
- RP Issuance (QID card): After the worker enters Qatar on the employment entry visa, the sponsor applies for the Residence Permit through MOI (online via Metrash2 or in-person at an MOI service centre). The application must be filed within 30 days of the worker's entry.
- RP Renewal: Employers must renew RPs before expiry; fees for renewal are set by MOI and payable by the employer. Renewals can be tracked and initiated via the Metrash2 app or the MOI e-services portal.
- Cost-shifting prohibition: Qatar Labour Law (Law No. 21 of 2015 as amended by Law No. 19 of 2020) prohibits employers from recovering visa, RP or medical examination fees from workers. If an employer demands reimbursement, workers can file a complaint via the Ministry of Labour hotline (16008) or the ADLSA complaints portal.
- Family sponsorship fees: A resident who sponsors dependants (spouse and children) must apply for family RPs through MOI; fees apply per dependent and are checked at eservices.moi.gov.qa.
Other MOI Fee-Bearing Services
- Permanent Residency application: Qatar introduced a permanent residency scheme under Law No. 10 of 2018. Eligible applicants (20 years' legal residence if born outside Qatar, 10 years if born in Qatar, plus other criteria) may apply through MOI. The Permanent Residency Eligibility Inquiry service is available at portal.moi.gov.qa.
- Police Clearance Certificate (PCC): Issued by MOI through the Metrash2 app and the MOFA e-services portal. The MOI PCC is required by most employers and for many government processes.
- Document legalisation (MOFA Attestation): Academic certificates attested through the MOFA e-services portal cost QAR 100 per document (verified at mofa.gov.qa). The MOFA also handles outbound legalisation — since Qatar is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, all Qatari public documents for foreign use must go through the full legalisation chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays the visa and residence permit fees — me or my employer?
Qatar Labour Law (Law No. 21 of 2015 as amended) places the cost of employment entry visas, medical examinations, and residence permit issuance and renewal squarely on the employer. It is illegal for an employer to recover these costs from the worker. If your employer asks you to repay visa or RP fees, file a complaint through the Ministry of Labour helpline (16008) or the ADLSA online complaints portal. The prohibition covers both the government fee and any third-party recruitment costs in some circumstances.
How much does a tourist visa to Qatar cost in 2026, and where do I apply?
A standard 30-day tourist (visit) visa via the Hayya e-visa platform costs QAR 100. GCC residents can also obtain a QAR 100 on-arrival visa (A2 category) for 30 days, extendable. Nationals of a number of countries enter visa-free for 30 days — the current eligible nationality list is maintained at portal.moi.gov.qa/qatarvisas. Applications go through the Hayya platform (hayya.qa) or the MOI visit-visa portal, not through embassies.
Within how many days of arriving in Qatar must my employer file my Residence Permit application?
The sponsor (employer) must complete the residence permit procedures — including the medical exam, biometric fingerprinting and RP application — within 30 days of the worker's entry into Qatar. This is confirmed by Deloitte's official guide citing Qatari immigration law and is consistent with MOI practice. Failure to file in time makes the worker an overstayer; the employer, not the worker, is responsible for the filing, but the worker bears legal exposure if status lapses.
Does Qatar charge an annual work permit fee like some other GCC countries?
Qatar's labour permit system links directly to the residence permit rather than operating a separate annual work permit levy equivalent to those in some neighbouring states. The employer pays for the initial employment entry visa and subsequent RP issuance and renewal through MOI. The Ministry of Labour's fast-track e-service (launched February 2022) allows compliant companies to obtain automated work-visa approvals, but this is a process streamlining tool, not a fee tier. Check the current MOI fee schedule at portal.moi.gov.qa for exact QAR amounts at time of application.
What is the Permanent Residency fee and who is eligible?
Qatar introduced permanent residency under Law No. 10 of 2018. Eligibility requires 20 years of legal residence (10 years if born in Qatar), a clean criminal record, Arabic language proficiency, and sufficient means of support among other criteria. Applications are filed through MOI, which operates a Permanent Residency Eligibility Inquiry online service at portal.moi.gov.qa. The fee for the application is set by MOI; check the current schedule before applying as fees are updated periodically.
Can I get a refund if my visa or RP application is refused?
Qatar's MOI does not publicly commit to a refund policy equivalent to those in some Western immigration systems. In practice, entry visa fees paid by the employer are not routinely refunded on refusal. Workers refused a residence permit because of a failed medical examination — typically where a notifiable condition is detected — are typically required to leave Qatar; the medical exam fee is non-refundable. Employers should consult the MOI e-services portal or the Ministry of Labour before any large-scale recruitment if refusal risk is a concern.