São Paulo – Qatar has increased the amount of time tourists in transit are allowed to remain in its territory. Under the new scheme, travellers with a minimum transit time of five hours in Doha’s Hamad International Airport will be issued a visa valid for up to 96 hours (four days) with no need to apply for an entry visa ahead of time. The information was released on the Qatar Airways website.
The new scheme applies to passengers of all nationalities. In the past, only travellers with layovers of at least eight hours were eligible for a transit visa, whose maximum duration was 48 hours (two days) in Qatar.
According to Qatar Airways, this is intended to make Qatar a more attractive stopover location to global passengers. The change was made by the Ministry of Interior and was strongly backed by the national carrier and by the Qatar Tourism Authority.
The transit visa is issued free of charge at Hamad International Airport upon confirmation of onward journey and completion of passport control procedures.
“The Ministry of Interior strives to support the country’s growth and development, while maintaining security for all visitors and residents. We are pleased to further facilitate the movement of the 30 million passengers who pass through Hamad International Airport every year. We welcome them to spend time in Doha and discover Qatari hospitality,” said Abdullah Salim Al-Ali, director-general of the General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriates Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, Abdullah Salim Al-Ali, according to a press release from Qatar Airways.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
