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Qatar visit visa for Indians: two simple routes
For Indian travellers, a Qatar visit visa usually means one of two things: a free visa on arrival linked to a Discover Qatar hotel booking, or a Hayya A1 e-visa applied for online for QAR 100. Both allow a stay of up to 30 days, extendable once. An immigration officer decides entry at Hamad International Airport.
Data current as of June 2026
What the Qatar visit visa covers
A Qatar visit visa lets Indian travellers come to the State of Qatar for tourism, visiting family or friends, business, and short personal trips, for up to 30 days that can be extended once.
Qatar is a Gulf country and is not part of the Schengen area, so this is a national entry permit, valid only for Qatar. Indian passport holders are not on the visa-free list, but Qatar makes entry easy through two routes: a free visa on arrival for travellers who book a qualifying hotel through Discover Qatar, and the Hayya A1 e-visa applied for online for those who prefer to book their hotel elsewhere.
The visit visa does not allow paid employment in Qatar, which needs a separate work visa arranged by a Qatari employer. Travel insurance is recommended rather than a fixed condition for most tourist routes, but healthcare can be expensive for visitors, so cover is wise. This page is a full guide: the two routes, the costs, the 30-day stay and its extension, the documents, the application steps, and what to do before and during your visit.
The two Qatar visit visa routes for Indians
Before anything else, decide how you want to enter. The choice mostly comes down to where you book your hotel and whether you want an approval in hand before you fly.
Free visa on arrival
No visa fee
- Hotel must be booked through Discover Qatar
- Bookings on other sites do not qualify
- Completed at Hamad International Airport
- Passport valid at least three months on arrival
- Confirmed return or onward ticket needed
vs
Hayya A1 e-visa
QAR 100
- Applied for online before you travel
- Book your hotel through any platform
- Approval usually in a day or two
- Certainty in hand before you fly
- Upload passport details and a photo
Both routes allow a stay of up to 30 days, extendable once for a further 30 days. Fees and rules are set by the Qatar authorities and can change, so confirm the current details before you apply.
Not sure which route fits your trip?
We check your hotel plan, passport, and dates and tell you whether the free arrival route or the Hayya e-visa is right for you.
Qatar visit visa at a glance
The headline numbers Indian travellers ask about most, in one place.
These are estimates and current figures, not guarantees. Processing and fees can change, so check the latest before you apply.
Purposes the visit visa covers
One visit visa, whether arrival or Hayya, covers several short-stay purposes. Match your documents to your real reason for travel.
Tourism Most common
Holidays and sightseeing across Doha and beyond, from the Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif to the Corniche and the desert at Khor Al Adaid. Show a hotel and a return ticket.
Family and friends Visit
Visit relatives or friends in Qatar. A resident host can sponsor a family visit permit for closer relatives, or you travel simply on a hotel-based visit.
Business No paid work
Meetings, conferences, and trade fairs are fine as a visitor. An invitation letter from a Qatari company strengthens your file. Paid work needs a work visa.
Short personal travel Stopover
A short break, a stopover, or a quick personal trip. The 30-day stay covers it, and a stopover product is available for some Qatar Airways travellers.
Qatar entry routes compared
A side-by-side of the main ways Indian travellers and residents of certain countries enter Qatar as visitors.
| Route | Who it suits | Stay | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa on arrival | Indians who book a hotel through Discover Qatar | Up to 30 days, extendable once | No visa fee |
| Hayya A1 e-visa | Indians who want approval before flying or any hotel | Up to 30 days, extendable once | QAR 100 |
| Hayya A3 permit | Holders of a US, UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand visa or residence | As set on the platform | Platform fee |
| Hayya A2 permit | Residents of GCC countries | As set on the platform | Platform fee |
| Family visit permit | Closer relatives sponsored by a Qatar resident host | Longer visit, set by the Ministry of Interior | Sponsor pays |
Routes and conditions are set on the Hayya platform and by the Qatar Ministry of Interior and can change. Confirm your exact eligibility before you apply.
Documents for a Qatar visit visa
The core document set is short. Match every detail across your passport, ticket, and hotel booking so nothing conflicts.
| Document | What it should show |
|---|---|
| Indian passport | Valid at least three months from arrival, with blank pages for the stamp. Six months is safer for airline checks. |
| Hotel booking | Confirmed accommodation. Must be through Discover Qatar for the free visa on arrival; any platform for the Hayya e-visa. |
| Return ticket | A confirmed return or onward air ticket within your permitted stay. |
| Passport photo | A recent passport-size photo, uploaded for the Hayya A1 e-visa application. |
| Funds proof | Bank statements showing enough money for your trip. Advisable, and asked for in some cases. |
| Invitation | For family or business visits, a letter from your host or the Qatari company, with their details. |
Children travel on their own permit or arrival visa, usually alongside a parent, with their own passport and photo. Requirements can change, so confirm the current list before you apply.
We will check your documents first
A 3-round document review catches the gaps that cause refusals and airport problems, before you book a flight.
Fees, stay, and extension
What you pay and how long you can stay, for each route. Fees are paid at the current rate and can change.
| Item | Visa on arrival | Hayya A1 e-visa |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | No visa fee | QAR 100 |
| Hotel condition | Discover Qatar booking required | Any hotel booking |
| Stay | Up to 30 days | Up to 30 days |
| Extension | Once, by 30 days, about QAR 100 | Once, by 30 days, about QAR 100 |
| Where | Hamad International Airport | Online, on the Hayya platform |
An extension is applied for before your current stay expires, through the Ministry of Interior or the airport immigration office, and is granted at the discretion of the authorities. Overstaying can lead to fines.
What to sort before you travel
A short pre-travel checklist that keeps your arrival smooth and avoids boarding problems.
Check your passport validity against the three-month rule, and renew early if it is close to expiry, since airlines can refuse boarding for short validity. If you are using the free visa on arrival, confirm your hotel is booked through Discover Qatar, not another site. If you chose the Hayya A1 e-visa, make sure your permit is approved and the details match your passport exactly before you fly.
Carry your confirmed return ticket, your hotel confirmation, and a folder with your funds proof and any invitation for the immigration officer. Keep access to enough money for your stay, and a clear plan of your visit. Remember a Qatar visit visa is for Qatar only and does not cover onward travel to other countries on its own.
How to get your Qatar visit visa, step by step
Six steps from choosing a route to extending your stay if you need longer.
Choose your route
Free arrival with a Discover Qatar hotel, or the Hayya A1 e-visa.
Book a hotel
Through Discover Qatar for the free route, since other sites do not qualify.
Apply or prepare
Apply on Hayya with your passport and photo, or ready your airport documents.
Carry documents
Passport, return ticket, and hotel confirmation, all matching.
Enter Qatar
Show your Hayya permit or complete arrival at Hamad airport.
Extend if needed
Apply once for a 30-day extension before your stay expires.
Dos and donts for a Qatar visit visa
Small mistakes cause most arrival problems. Keep to these and your trip stays smooth.
Do these
- Book through Discover Qatar if you want the free visa on arrival.
- Carry a confirmed return or onward ticket.
- Keep your passport valid at least three months on arrival.
- Apply for the Hayya e-visa early if you want certainty before flying.
- Match every detail across your passport, ticket, and booking.
Do not do these
- Book your hotel elsewhere and expect the free route to work.
- Overstay your 30 days without applying for the extension.
- Take up paid work on a visit visa.
- Travel with a passport close to expiry.
- Upload a blurry photo or mismatched passport details to Hayya.
What you can do once you arrive
Your visit visa is for visiting. Here is what it allows, and what it does not, once you land.
As a visitor you can travel and sightsee across Qatar, visit family and friends, attend meetings, conferences, and trade fairs, and enjoy short personal travel, within your 30 days and one extension. You cannot take up paid employment, which needs a work visa arranged by a Qatari employer through the Qatar Visa Centre process, and you cannot enrol in a long study program, which needs a student visa.
Respect local laws and customs and the dates of your visa. Overstaying can lead to fines, so apply for an extension in good time if you need longer. If your plans change towards work, study, or settling, that is a different visa, and we can help you switch to the right route.
Why entry is refused, and what to do
Most problems are preventable. Knowing the common ones helps you build a clean application.
Common problems include a hotel booked outside Discover Qatar for the free route, an incomplete or poor-quality e-visa application, short passport validity, a missing return ticket, unclear funds, or a mismatch between the Hayya permit details and the passport. Entry can also be refused at the border if the officer is not satisfied with the purpose of the visit, since a visa or permit lets you travel but does not guarantee entry.
If a Hayya e-visa is rejected, you can usually reapply once you have fixed the gaps, such as a clearer photo, correct details, a confirmed hotel and return ticket, or better proof of funds. Many travellers succeed on a second, better-prepared application, but approval is never guaranteed and the decision rests with the Qatar authorities.
A visa or permit lets you travel to Qatar. An immigration officer at the border still makes the final decision on entry.
General guidance based on Qatar Ministry of Interior and Visit Qatar entry rules. Confirm current rules before you travel.
Start your Qatar visit visa the right way
We help Indian travellers choose between the free arrival route and the Hayya e-visa, prepare a clean file, and apply with confidence. 26+ years of guiding applicants since 1999.