Visiting Qatar

Traveling to Qatar has become increasingly convenient over the past few years, as government policies have been developed to encourage visitors, although there are still important procedures to follow before visiting the country.

If you're flying into Qatar, the most common route is through the Doha International Airport, either by way of an international airline carrier or through the growing presence of Qatar Airways. Doha International is a major air hub in the Middle East and the largest in the country. Qatar Airways flies into the airport from a number of European and Asian destinations, as well as connecting with major international airlines.

While it is still expensive to travel into the country from abroad, you can often save by flying to another destination in the Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or the UAE and then connecting on a flight from Air Arabia or another regional airline.

The government has issued an arrival visa option for a number of international visitors, including travelers from Western Europe, Korea, Japan and the United States, among other countries. When visitors arrive in Qatar from a recognized international flight, one month visas can be purchased pending a passage of a basic background check. If you're coming from a nation that doesn't have a visa compact with Qatar, you'll have to ensure you have a Qatari guarantor in order to qualify to a month long visa. Unique to the country. its embassies are not able to issue visas for travelers without an agreement with a Qatari resident or institution.

Another option for travelers is to get a visa through a luxury hotel, as the hotels offer a full travel package including visa filing for certain travelers. For all visitors who wish to stay beyond a month, you must have a pre-approved sponsor within the country so make sure you have arrangements in advance.