The Ministry of Interior announced today the resumption of the issuance of tourist and family entry visas, starting from 12/7/2021. It indicated that travelers arriving in Qatar via its land, sea, and air entry points will be subject to the requirements and procedures specified by the Ministry of Public Health regarding vaccinated individuals with approved vaccines in Qatar or those who will undergo approved quarantine measures in the country to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Health clarified through its website today concerning the new procedures for travel and return to Qatar that for family visits, businessmen, and tourists, including citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries who do not hold Qatari personal identification numbers/non-residents: entry is restricted to vaccinated and/or recovered individuals as specified in points 13, 14, 15, and 16 of the general policy.
**Fully Vaccinated Individuals:**
- They are exempt from quarantine if they have received doses of a vaccine licensed by the Ministry of Public Health and have passed 14 days after receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine.
- Children aged (0 to 11) years will follow the entry requirements of their vaccinated parents, and if the parents are vaccinated, the children will also be exempt from quarantine.
- Unvaccinated children aged (12 to 17 years) must undergo quarantine based on the classification of the departure country accompanied by a parent.
- Travelers are required to download and activate the Ehteraz app on their mobile phones using locally approved SIM cards which can be obtained from local providers (Ooredoo or Vodafone).
According to points 13, 14, 15, and 16 in the new travel and return policy:
13. The validity period of the vaccine for exemption from quarantine is 12 months, starting 14 days after the second dose, and the immunity period may be extended based on any new data in this regard.
14. The list of vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health/conditionally approved includes: Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), AstraZeneca (Covishield/Oxford/Vaxzevria), Sinopharm, and Johnson & Johnson (single dose).
(a) Travelers who have received two doses of one of the conditionally authorized vaccines listed above will undergo an antibody test upon arrival. If the result is positive, they will be exempt from quarantine requirements. However, if the result is negative, the traveler must undergo quarantine according to the classification of the departure country in addition to undergoing a PCR test upon arrival.
(b) Travelers who have received one of the licensed vaccines must present the original vaccination certificate containing the following information:
- Name of the vaccine recipient matching their passport.
- Dates of doses as per the type of vaccine (one dose for Johnson & Johnson, two doses for other vaccines).
- Type/name of the vaccine.
- Serial number of the vaccine (if available).
- Official logo or seal of the vaccine provider.
**Individuals Recovered from COVID-19:**
15. Citizens and residents who contracted COVID-19 within the last 12 months are exempt from quarantine upon returning from abroad if they do not show symptoms and have a negative PCR test result.
16. This rule applies only to individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 in Qatar, while those diagnosed in any of the GCC countries and who have received at least one dose of the vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar will be exempt from quarantine, provided they present a valid official certificate containing details of the previous infection issued by the local health authority in the GCC countries.
**Ehteraz App Policies:**
Travelers coming to Qatar must download and activate the Ehteraz app on their mobile phones upon arrival at the port of entry. To do this, travelers must obtain:
- A Qatari SIM card from a local telecommunications provider (Ooredoo or Vodafone).
- Access to the internet.
- A smartphone supporting Android 6 and newer or iOS 13.5 and newer.
- Download the app on their mobile devices either via Google Play or Apple App Store or from any online search engines.
Note that SIM cards and smartphones are available for purchase at Hamad International Airport and Abu Samra Port if travelers do not possess them before arrival. Diplomats, holders of administrative cards, and VIP visitors are exempted from this procedure.
The health status in the Ehteraz app will remain yellow throughout the quarantine period until a negative COVID-19 test result appears, according to the aforementioned quarantine policy. The health status in the Ehteraz app for individuals fully vaccinated in Qatar will be green with a golden frame indicating they are exempt from quarantine if they have a negative PCR result and have completed 14 days from the scheduled vaccination dates. The health status in the Ehteraz app for citizens and residents vaccinated outside of Qatar will be green without a golden frame until their vaccination data is updated in the system. The health status for visitors vaccinated abroad will also be green without a golden frame until their vaccination data is updated in the system.
