Daringdoo

Has anybody done an immediate turn in DOH? I'm wondering if a visa is required. I know they're available upon arrival but will I need one? Is it necessary to go through immigration? What about re-clearing security?

Sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere, I have tried many searches to no avail.

dogloverjb

I just transited through there on QR a few days ago. There are different arrival areas for transiting and true "arriving (entering DOH)" passengers. If you are transiting you go through x-ray and go right to transit gates. If arriving I assume you go through normal arrival procedures. You can probably just go to the transit area. You are bussed from the plane. I don't know how other airlines handle it but QR gives you onward boarding passes that match the colors of the arrival areas (yellow is transit, e.g.). There are people checking when you get off the plane to make sure you go to the right area. Other airlines might not do that but they have to get you to the correct arrival area. This all assumes that you only have carry-on luggage.

Daringdoo

Thanks DogLover. That's very interesting about QR giving out color coded boarding passes! I doubt UA would be that efficient!

I'm also wondering if "in transit" requires going to a third country as opposed to a turnaround, a la China.

dogloverjb

Thinking about it more, UA won't transit anybody since they have no other flights there except for their return flight. For QR it's a hub and people on the flight into DOH can be arriving or continuing onward. So probably UA would just drop you off at the arrivals terminal with no chance to go the transit terminal. Then you'd have to do the immigration and visa thing.

andylarkin22

dogloverjb is correct you will have to go to the DOH arrival terminal and go through customs. You will need to pay QR100 (~$27.50) for a 30 day visitor visa paid using a credit card. Then you will need to take a cab to the departure terminal, separate building, ~2 km away and go through normal security and what not there. Not exactly the most fun airport in the world and unfortunately the new airport has been plagued with delays and doesn't seem to be opening anytime soon. Hope this helps. I am currently in Qatar for work.

Daringdoo

Thanks.

There's another thread that indicates I would have to go to arrivals then transfer to the transit area. No mention of needing to clear Customs or take cabs. Either way, time does seem to be an issue.

This is not a straightforward place to do an MR!

LAXOGG

andylarkin22 is incorrect. Did this 3 weeks ago. When you are shuttled back to the arrivals area (a bus ride of about 5 minutes) stay right by the entrance. Do not proceed to the Customs area. Catch the attention of one of the attendants. Let them know that you need to be shuttled to the transfer area. In my case, I had to wait for 5+ minutes for one of the transfer buses to arrive. There is no requirement to pay any visitor visa fee. I assume that you are flying UA based upon your post above. I would suggest that you obtain your return boarding pass at IAD before you take off for DXB-DOH.

hsk

+1LAXOGG.

You don't need to clear customs/immigration. UA buses terminate at arrivals terminal. QR buses do the whole loop. When your UA bus drops you off inform the attendant at the sliding doors that you need to get to the transit terminal. The next loop bus will take you there.

Should't take more than 30 minutes to do offload, transfer and security (often empty, sometimes rammed). If you need to get a boarding pass there is a desk to the right after security. Very straightforward MR .

andylarkin22

I stand corrected, my apologies for the misinformation

Daringdoo

Many thanks for the info!!

Is security upon entering the arrivals hall, needing to be cleared before busing to the transit terminal or is it located in the transit terminal? Sorry if this is a stupid question.

LAXOGG

No security in the arrivals area. You will be re screamed when you arrive at the transit area (a quick scan of carryon items). You will also have a more thorough scan when you reach your departure gate prior to boarding the bus for the transit to your plane.

Daringdoo