remdk

araknis welcome to the QR forum. You may find the dashboard a useful tool when browsing the forum.

The rules for this visa are still being adjusted , which for such a new feature is hardly surprising. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the free visa is only granted on reservations on QR documents thus you do not qualify for it. Previously visas were granted to reservations on AA documents so you will see claims that it is possible. But alas no longer!

Beano HK

Having first learnt about the transit visa and the 30 day limit before applying I just wanted to feedback. Seamless process, visas issued within 48 hours. Very happy it was so smooth.

angeloedades

Thanks for the report Beano HK - 48 hours is indeed very fast!

/AE

escape4

Is the 30-day visa a single entry visa or multiple entry visa? I need the visa twice in one month so I was wondering if I could apply for the visa just once and I am all set for both trips. Does it matter if the two entries in Qatar are on the same booking or two different bookings? My first visa is for the return flight of a ticket, and the second visa is for the outbound of another ticket.

Beano HK

It's a single entry visa and you can only apply for the visa once per booking.

escape4

Thanks! So if I have a stop over on both the outbound and inbound of the same ticket, I cannot get a visa for both therefore I will need to get a normal visa on arrival?

remdk

escape4 the free visa is a method to encourage tourism in Qatar and it is not intended as a 'cheap' stopover. Thus you can only have one per reservation (PNR).
If you wish to go into Doha a second time then you need to purchase a c´visa Depending upon nationality you may qualify for Visa on Arrival. See https://www.moi.gov.qa/site/english/...ec748/748.html for more details

Happy

I think Qatar should learn something from the UAE when it comes to encourage tourism.

UAE now has free Visa on Arrival for many nationalities, even including Mainland China since Nov 2016. This makes Dubai an easy destination for many even though Dubai really does not have much to see.

We would like to have a couple days stopover in Qatar to visit but the hassle (and the cost) to apply the formal visa makes this a no go. If Qatar grants free Visa on Arrival for, say, 7 days, I feel a lot more people would make a stopover to enjoy the country.

Even Jordan now sells a Jordan Pass that essentially makes the entry visa free.

The Museum of Islamic Art, and the Souq Waqtif are great attractions to push tourism if Qatar makes the entry visa a lot easier and cheaper to do for short visit.

gms

I just booked a QR itinerary. Leaving on Thursday this coming week, via Doha, returning Tuesday next week. My outbound is a straightforward connection (around an hour between flights), my return has a 24 hour connection.

So I try to submit a visa request via the QR website and it tells me there is insufficient time to process my visa. So I assume it just looks at when your travel commences, not when the actual transit is happening (which is still well over the stated 7 day processing time). So a pretty major flaw in the system.

I tried calling QR to see if they could advise any alternative approach to processing this, but after about 20 minutes on hold I just got cut off! Typical useless QR customer services!

JAT74L

I'm going VCE-DOH-BKK this coming Tuesday and returning again with a 24 hour stopover in DOH on the 22nd and applied for the transit visa today without issue.

JAT

remdk

gms according to http://support.qatarairways.com/hc/e...-transit-visa- you must apply at least seven working days prior to the entry date.
It has been that applications for a free tourist visa can be applied for for either outbound or inbound and the application was timed from the desired date of entry. The rules of this new feature may have changed. It may be that there are insufficient working days to apply (five day working week Sunday to Thursday). I think that you are a borderline case. You also need to remember that it may take longer to process if you do not qualify for a Visa on Arrival. Look at https://www.moi.gov.qa/site/english/...748/748.html#2 for more details.

gms

My planned entry date is Tuesday 21st Feb. So more than 7 working days away. However, I also have a transfer through Doha on the same ticket on 17th Feb. I think the problem is that the QR system is not smart enough, nor has it been configured to differentiate between the timing of a transfer and a stopover. So it is looking up my booking reference and rejecting me before I get past the first page! I do qualify for visa on arrival, so in theory should be a simple case.

gms

According to the page you link to, it is "at least 7 days (excluding public holidays in Qatar)", not "seven working days" as you state.

SNA_Flyer

FWIW, I'm also having issues with an AA issued award obtaining the free visa. I thought I'd have some luck with it, as prior to the 30 day eligibility window the website was telling me I had to wait until 30 days out to apply. However, now that I'm in the 30 day window, it tells me it can't find my record locator (yes, it's QR's not AA's).

So for now I guess the only option now is the visa on arrival (QAR 100 isn't so bad, but free is better).

remdk

SNA_Flyer According to the regulations you only qualify for a free 96 hour visa if your ticket is on QR documents. Your award tickets are almost certainly on AA documents even though there is also a QR locator.

The visa is still new and earlier AA award tickets were incorrectly granted a free visa but now the regulations are strictly followed.