How To Apply Family Residence Visa In Qatar Metrash2
In this article we will learn about the procedure to apply for family residence visa in Qatar. Dependents of expatriate workers are eligible for a residence visa in Qatar. This visa allows a dependent of an expatriate worker to live and work in Qatar.
How to apply for Family Residence Visa in Qatar is a topic that everybody think about, when considering to live in Qatar. A temporary residence visa is one of the best way to enter Qatar, this is due to the fact that it doesn’t require a sponsor so you can be more independent.
Touriangle is replete with all the relevant information you need on application is under process for family visa in Qatar, family visa rejected Qatar, Qatar family visa latest news 2022, and so much more. Take out time to surf through our catalog for more information on related topics. You don’t want to miss this!
How To Apply Family Residence Visa In Qatar Metrash2
When a family member joins you in Qatar, you want to make sure that their stay here is as comfortable as possible. As such, there are some steps you will need to take to ensure that this happens. Thankfully, there exists a visa for the dependents of Qatari citizens which can play a big part in making it easier for them to stay in Qatar when they join you here. In this guide, we are going to take an in-depth look at exactly how to obtain the Family Residence Visa (often referred to as the “dependent visa”), what benefits it offers, and some frequently asked questions about the visa.
As a valued resident of Qatar, you might want to bring your relatives along to Qatar especially since your residence visa is issued to all family members (spouse AND children) along with the principal applicant. However, as with almost any other administrative matter, there are several things that are required in order for a family member to apply for Residence Visa in Qatar. We will guide you through all the necessary steps here.
Are you an expatriate in Qatar? Are you staying here alone without your family? Would you like to have them come and stay with you? You can apply for a Family Residence visa for them, if you fulfil the criteria set forth by the Ministry of Interior in Qatar.
Family Residence Visa Qatar Latest News
If you’re an expatriate in Qatar and earn QR 10,000 or more (or QR 7,000 with family housing facility given by the company), have your Qatar ID under a professional visa category, and have worked for, at least, six months with your company, you can bring your immediate family/dependents (spouse, sons, daughters) to Qatar, so you can stay together. For this, you’ll need to obtain a Family Residence Visa so you can sponsor them. Every family member, including any babies/infants, need to have their own separate Family Residence Visa and, subsequently, Qatar ID.
Please note: you cannot sponsor a son who is over 25 years old, but unmarried daughters of any age can be sponsored.
Disclaimer: In light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Qatar and around the world, the Family Residence Visa applications are currently on hold. We will inform you once you can apply for a Family Residence visa again.
Minimum Salary For Family Residence Visa In Qatar
Residence permit
Effectively, the Visa is granted under specific employment only if you have a valid Qatar ID and Residence Visa from your employer or private employer.
Employment status
In order to apply for the Visa, you must:
- Be an expatriate employee earning QR 10,000 or more a month.
- Have completed six months of employment with your company and wish to bring your immediate dependents to Qatar to live with you
Expatriates can sponsor their immediate family members. Every family member, including infants, must have an individual Family Residence Visa.
Professional status
Regardless of their income, the sponsor’s qualification must be technical or specialized, as stated in the Qatar ID. People belonging to in the labour forces, such as builders, plumbers, etc are not allowed to move their relatives to Qatar or apply for the Family Residence Visa.
Accommodation status
If you are living in a rented space in Qatar, you need to show proof of accommodation using relevant authorities. If your accommodation is provided by the employer, you have to possess an employment agreement that specifically states that the employer pays an extra accommodation allowance in addition to your regular remuneration.
Qatar Family Visa Requirements 2022
You will need the following documents in order to apply for a Family Residence Visa in Qatar:
- An application completed (only while applying offline)
- Qatar ID card copy
- Passport copy (front page with name, photo and other identification)
- Passport copies of all the family members entering Qatar.
- Attested copy of Marriage Certificate
- Certified copy of Birth Certificates for all the children
- Attested copies of all your diplomas.
- No Objection Letter from your organization specifying your qualification and income (written in Arabic and dated within the last three months.)
- Company Registration Card / Employer QID Copy
- Rental Agreement copy certified by Municipality or proof from company
- A six-month stamped bank statement to confirm your salary rate.
- Employment Contract stamped by the Ministry Of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs.
Do note that:
- Diplomas, employment contract, and the Employer QID are optional for those working in public sector organizations.
- If some of the original documents are not initially in Arabic or English, you will have to translate them.
- Adoption papers are a must, In case your children have been adopted.
How To Apply Family Visit Visa In Qatar Through Metrash 2
Step 1- Applying for the Visa online or offline
Online application
The Visa application can be conveniently completed online by the following steps:
- First, make sure to download and register on the Metrash2 (iOS, Android) application on your mobile phone.
- Open the Metrash2 application and log in to your account.
- Select the “Visa”, icon that appears on the screen.
- Then, click on the “Issue Visa” icon followed by the “Family Visit” icon.
- Select “Family Resident Application” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “New Application”, and fill up the personal details of the visitor including Gender, Relation, Date of Birth, Passport Details, etc, accurately.
- Select the ” I agree on validity of data” option to proceed.
You will receive a notification within a few days to proceed with the fee payment once the application has been approved and verified.
How To Get Family Residence Visa In Qatar
Offline Application
The Qatar family visit visa can be applied offline by following the steps given below:
- The Family Residence Visa application form can be downloaded from here.
- Fill up the form and take all the above mentioned documents to the Al Gharrafa Immigration Department.
- Get your virtual number from the reception and wait for your turn.
- Once your turn comes, submit all the documents to the department manager.
You will receive a notification within a few days once the application has been approved and verified. You must then proceed with the fee payment.
Step 2- Enter Qatar with entry visa
Once you have completed all the necessary formalities in Qatar, your spouse and children can come to the country with a visit visa. Keep in mind that the visit visa is valid only for a month and you will have to complete the rest of the application procedure within the validity period of this visa including the health and fingerprint examination.
Step 3- Complete an health examination
Before issuing the Residence Permit, applicants are subject to some medical tests to certify that they are free from infections or diseases. To start the process, visit the Medical Commission Department, Al Muntazah Street, Doha. The test is generally comprised a standard blood test, fluorography, and testing for various dangerous diseases like Hepatitis type B or C and Tuberculosis.
You are required to take all the papers listed below:
- Original passport
- Copy of your valid visa
- Card for payment
Children need not take a health examination. You should take their passports and visa copies to the Medical Commission Department and pay the fee to enter their details in the inner system.
The results of the health tests are sent online to the Ministry of Interior website. In a couple of days, you can check the results using your Metrash2 account. Alternatively, enter your ID number and Date of testing in the MOPH website and view your results.
Step 4- Register your fingerprints
All applicants are required to digitally register their fingerprints with the Ministry of Interior for security reasons.
You are also required to obtain a blood group certificate, which you can take from any local medical center. It usually costs about QR 50.
In order to undergo dactyloscopy examination For fingerprint scanning in Qatar, you have to visit the Criminal Evidence and Information Department (CEID) in Al Muntazah, Ar-Rayyan, Qatar.
Before visiting the Department, make sure you have the following papers with you:
- Employee’s both Passport and the QID copies
- Applicant’s original Passport and its copy
- Two passport-size photos taken on a blue field
- Blood group certificate (you can take from any local medical center. Usually costs about QR 50)
You are required to fill in an application form which you may take at the Department. If you are given a confirmation after your scanning, you need to keep it for the future.
You will get a notification in your Metrash2 account once this procedure is completed.
Step 5- Receive Family Residence Permit Card
You will then be provided with a Qatar ID (which is actually a Residence Permit Card). You need to go to your local Police Office with your ID card, your spouse’s and children’s passports, and passport-size photos.
Qatar Family Residence Visa Cost
The visa costs for the entire application procedure is as follows:
- Qatar Family Visa Application fee (online and offline)- QR 200
- Qatar ID card (for a one-year period)- QR 500
- Medical Test- QR 100
Qatar Family Residence Visa Processing Period
The processing time for each procedure, such as the verification of documents submitted, completing the health examination and finger print scanning will take few days each. You will receive updates via the Metrash2 app regarding the status of your application. Until then, your visa status will be “under review” or “under process”.
The Family Residence Visa can be purchased for a period of 1-5 years and is stamped in each family member’s passport.
Qatar Family Residence Visa Tracking
The status of your Qatar family visit visa can be checked on the MoI website under Inquiries >> Visa Services >> Visa Approval Tracking. Fill in all the required details accurately and you will be able to check the status of your visit visa.
How To Get Family Residence Visa In Qatar
1. Obtaining Entry Visa: Online and Offline Methods
Here you should provide all the necessary papers to obtain the Family Entry Visa. This visa is valid only for a month but may enable your spouse and children to enter the country. However, other actions like medical examinations and fingerprint scanning should be carried out after coming to Qatar.
Indeed, there is another approach that focuses on bringing your spouse and children to the country using a Visit Visa. This approach significantly streamlines the process. Remember that you have an opportunity to transfer a Visit Visa into Family Residence Visa after providing the same papers. However, in case of transferring the Visit Visa without exiting Qatar, you are to pay an extra QR 500.
Note:
- All workers from the private sector have to show a six-month bank statement; that’s why many of them prefer to take their family members on a Visit Visa until the end of the six-month period.
Papers Required for the Application Procedure
When applying, make sure you have all the following papers:
- An application completed in Arabic (not required if using a mobile app.)
- Front and back sides copies of the Qatar ID card.
- ID page copy of your Passport (the page with your picture, your date of birth, etc.)
- Passport copies of all the family members who are going to enter Qatar.
- Copy of Marriage Certificate – certified by your country’s embassy in Qatar, Qatar’s embassy in your country, and Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Copy of Birth Certificates for all the children – certified by the establishments as described above.
- Certified copies of all your diplomas.
- No Objection Letter from your organization specifying your qualification and income (written in Arabic and dated within the last three months.)
- Copy of the Company Registration Card / Employer QID.
- Your Rental Agreement copy certified by Municipality or proof from your company stating they will accommodate your family members.
- A six-month stamped bank statement to confirm your salary rate.
- Employment Contract stamped by the Ministry Of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs.
Note:
- Copies of the diplomas, employment contract, and the Employer QID are optional when it concerns public sector organizations.
- If some of the original documents are not initially in Arabic or English, you need to translate them. Numerous of Qatar’s small businesses dealing with certification and verification can help you translate all the papers.
- In case your children have been adopted, you are also required to attach all the related papers, including the reasons for adoption.
Method 1: Online Application Using Mobile App
Lately, the authorities have made the entire procedure easier by enabling applicants to upload all the necessary papers using the mobile app. After you download the app, you need to register and start the application process. Once you have done that, follow the instructions below:
- When logged in to Metrash, tap the “Visa.”
- Next, tap the icon “Issue Visa.”
- Next, you need to tap the “Family Visit.”
- Finally, tap the “Family Resident Application.”
Note:
- By default, you are suggested to obtain a Family Visit Visa. In order to apply for a Residence Visa, you should change this option as described here:
5. Select the “New Application” (bottom right of the screen.)
6. Accurately complete the application with the necessary details. Then, press “Validate.”
7. Follow the directions on your phone and upload all the documents required for the procedure.
Note:
- All the pictures and scans must be legible.
- Remember that the photo and bio page should be placed in one JPG file when uploading passport scans. You may use a third-party app to stick the scans/photos to each other.
- Correspondingly, when you upload Qatar ID, make sure that both front and back sides are placed together in the same file.
8. Once you confirm your application, you are expected to receive a notification (it may take a few days.)
If your application is approved, you are required to pay the visa fee of QR 200 online through Metrash2 or visit the Immigration Office.
Method 2: Applying for Family Residence Offline
If it’s not possible for any reason to use a mobile app, you may always apply directly. In this case, you need to fill in a form in Arabic as an add-on to other papers listed above. If you do not speak Arabic, you may ask for help in any printing office.
Take all the necessary papers to the Immigration Department located in the Al Gharafa district. In order to avoid long queues, you’d better visit it early in the morning.
Once you are in, you should take a virtual number from Reception and wait patiently for your turn. When you see your number on display, go to the department manager and provide all the papers and copies required. If everything is ok, the Department should accept the application and notify you in a few days.
If your application form is approved, your next step will be to pay the visa fee of QR 200. Note that you will be asked to use your bank card to make a payment.
Application is Declined: Solution
In some cases, your visa application can be declined even if you follow everything correctly. Actually, you may visit the Immigration Department and negotiate with the visa approval committee.
The officers will arrange the meeting and give you a copy of the confirmation, where they should state the meeting date (the officers generally keep the original.)
If they don’t detect any significant issues with your submitted papers after their thorough check, you will be provided with an appointment with the approval committee.
During the meeting, the committee may ask you several questions concerning your income or qualification.
Besides, don’t forget to take the originals of all the required papers with you, including all your certificates and diplomas. The committee members may ask you to show them the documents. If there are no issues, you are expected to get the approval in a few days.
2. Arriving in Qatar using Entry Visas
When you pass all the formalities, your spouse and children can come to the country. Remember that this type of visa expires after a month from the arrival date, which means that the subsequent procedures, including health and dactyloscopy examination, should be taken during this period.
If your spouse and children arrive using a Visit Visa, then it’s possible to move on to the next actions.
3. Taking the Health Examination
The process of obtaining the Residence Permit generally implies taking several medical tests. The grounds of such an obligation are to keep people from various infections from foreigners.
In order to start the process, you need to visit the Medical Commission Department that takes the primary responsibility for managing this examination. Their Office is located in Al Muntazah Street, Doha.
There is nothing special about the health examination, and it typically includes a general blood test, fluorography, and testing for various dangerous diseases like Hepatitis type B or C and Tuberculosis.
You are required to take all the papers listed below:
- Passport (original)
- A legible copy of your valid visa. Don’t forget to write down your contact number just in case
- Bank card for payment
To take a Medical Test, you have to pay a fee of QR 100 (per individual.)
Note:
- Children are not required to take a health examination. Nevertheless, you should take their passports and visa copies to the Medical Commission Office and pay the fee to mark them as approved in the inner system.
- In case of transforming a Visit Visa into a Residence Visa, you need to tell the officer about that.
- The results of the health tests are sent online to the Ministry of Interior’s database. In a couple of days, you may check the results using your Metrash2 account. Besides, it is also possible to see the results on the MoPH webpage.
4. Dactyloscopy Examination
For security reasons, all the applicants are required to digitally register their fingerprints with the Ministry of Interior.
Note:
- Before dactyloscopy examination, you are also required to obtain a blood group certificate, which you can take from any local medical center. It usually costs about QR 50.
In order to undergo dactyloscopy examination (fingerprint scanning) in Qatar, you have to visit the CEID – Criminal Evidence and Information Department.
Before visiting the Department, make sure you have the following papers with you:
- Employee’s both Passport and the QID copies
- Applicant’s original Passport and its copy
- Two passport-size photos taken on a blue field
- Blood group certificate
Additionally, you are required to fill in an application form which you may take at the Department. If you are given a confirmation after your scanning, you need to keep it for the future.
Once the dactyloscopy scanning is finished, you are expected to get a notification in your Metrash2 account.
5. Obtaining Family Residence Permit Card
Under this action, you are expected to obtain a Qatar ID (which is actually a Residence Permit Card). Here you need to go to your local Police Office with your ID card, your spouse’s and childrens’ Passports, and passport-size photos taken on a blue field.
Note that for the first year, the Residence Permit counts for QR 500. After payment of the fees, the officers will notify you once the cards are ready for collection.
- Qatar Family Visa Fees (Per Person)
- Qatar Family Visa QR 200
- Qatar ID card (for a one-year period) QR 500
- Health Examination QR 100
Remember that there may be extra charges for documents verification, Blood Group Certificate, and others. Besides, you will be charged extra money if you decide to transform a Visit Visa to a Residence Visa without leaving Qatar.
If You Want to Bring Children Above the Age with You
When bringing your family members with you, pay attention to the fact that sons who are 25 years and over are not permitted to be on their parents’ visas. However, there is no age limit for female children until they change their marital status.
Adult children who overstep the age limits may get a Residence Permit from their parents for one extra year in order to find an employer during that year.
If Your Family Members Decide to Work
If your spouse or adult children (while on a Family Residence Visa) intend to work, they need to get special permission (called a Work Permit) to work legally in the country. It’s also possible to use Metrash2 to obtain the Permit.
