Qatar Issuing Tourist Visas from July 12
Jul 14, 2021, 4:15 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Gold, UA Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 342
I dont understand why - out of the blue - qatar would be requiring PCRs from transit when they haven't been doing so throughout the pandemic.
all i know is that this mysterious rule has been in effect since 7/12 and nobody here (or on any travel forum that i've read, for tha matter) has even mentioned the need for PCR tests while transiting through doha. thousands of travelers transit through doha each day and i feel like we would have heard about it one way or another by now. but that's just my 2c.
it just shocks me that QR customer service has no concrete answer to this when its their government enacting the rules.
all i know is that this mysterious rule has been in effect since 7/12 and nobody here (or on any travel forum that i've read, for tha matter) has even mentioned the need for PCR tests while transiting through doha. thousands of travelers transit through doha each day and i feel like we would have heard about it one way or another by now. but that's just my 2c.
it just shocks me that QR customer service has no concrete answer to this when its their government enacting the rules.
Jul 14, 2021, 5:02 pm
#62
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
I dont understand why - out of the blue - qatar would be requiring PCRs from transit when they haven't been doing so throughout the pandemic.
all i know is that this mysterious rule has been in effect since 7/12 and nobody here (or on any travel forum that i've read, for tha matter) has even mentioned the need for PCR tests while transiting through doha. thousands of travelers transit through doha each day and i feel like we would have heard about it one way or another by now. but that's just my 2c.
it just shocks me that QR customer service has no concrete answer to this when its their government enacting the rules.
all i know is that this mysterious rule has been in effect since 7/12 and nobody here (or on any travel forum that i've read, for tha matter) has even mentioned the need for PCR tests while transiting through doha. thousands of travelers transit through doha each day and i feel like we would have heard about it one way or another by now. but that's just my 2c.
it just shocks me that QR customer service has no concrete answer to this when its their government enacting the rules.
Agree DOH is a central transit hub thus could have a negative impact to transit pax.
Jul 14, 2021, 10:03 pm
#63
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SEA
Posts: 2,021
Looking at the website now, it seems that coming from Green vs. Yellow vs. Red doesn't matter if you have been vaccinated.
https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/trave...s/default.aspx
https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/trave...s/default.aspx
- Travelers who are fully vaccinated with the above specified conditionally approved vaccines shall undergo antibody test upon arrival, if the result is positive, they shall be exempt from the quarantine requirements; if the result is negative, the passenger will be required to do PCR test upon arrival and must undergo quarantine based on the classification of the departure country.
Jul 14, 2021, 10:27 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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Jul 15, 2021, 2:28 am
#66
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 842
For a foreigner, it does.
See: https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/trave...iefing_eng.pdf
See: https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/trave...iefing_eng.pdf
Jul 15, 2021, 3:26 am
#67
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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I think you are misinterpreting the document. Entry for vaccinated individuals (with approved vaccines) from yellow and red countries including non-Qataris is allowed without quarantine. You may be looking at the section in the document that refers to unvaccinated minors traveling with vaccinated parents. If you looked at other parts of the website or TIMATIC it will be clearer.
Sorry for the confusion.
Jul 15, 2021, 4:40 am
#68
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Miami, FL, USA
Posts: 4,049
I think you are misinterpreting the document. Entry for vaccinated individuals (with approved vaccines) from yellow and red countries including non-Qataris is allowed without quarantine. You may be looking at the section in the document that refers to unvaccinated minors traveling with vaccinated parents. If you looked at other parts of the website or TIMATIC it will be clearer.
Jul 15, 2021, 4:58 am
#69
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I think we can agree that the communiqué is at best confusing. The text from the ministry seems pretty unequivocal, but the schematic representation filtered through associate entities could mislead.
So we struggle to understand the personal implication of rules set by the Qatar authorities. It's fair enough that in FT threads we offer our own interpretations, but it is NOT helpful when those interpretations are presented as categorical truths, particularly coming from posters have established themselves as authorities on matters relating to QR.
My 2 dirhams' worth agrees with @N1Rotate's reading of the rules. But i wouldn't act on that until i get some first-hand report that a double-vaccinated red-list visitor has got into Qatar, without a long and expensive spell in isolation.
So we struggle to understand the personal implication of rules set by the Qatar authorities. It's fair enough that in FT threads we offer our own interpretations, but it is NOT helpful when those interpretations are presented as categorical truths, particularly coming from posters have established themselves as authorities on matters relating to QR.
My 2 dirhams' worth agrees with @N1Rotate's reading of the rules. But i wouldn't act on that until i get some first-hand report that a double-vaccinated red-list visitor has got into Qatar, without a long and expensive spell in isolation.
Jul 15, 2021, 5:04 am
#70
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
However the English text from the ministry is pretty much straightforward, though a specific reference to red-list visitors would have been helpful.
I don't offer my view as a definitive interpretation of the current rules established by the Qatar authorities. And we have to be aware that those rules could shift in the blink of an eye.
Jul 15, 2021, 5:09 am
#71
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Miami, FL, USA
Posts: 4,049
I don't see a big blank box. In the schematic representation, what do you interpret the box that says "Entry not Allowed" to refer to?
Jul 15, 2021, 5:42 am
#72
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Location: London
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In the line above the one we re discussing, all three of these the boxes are subsets of the general category, and refer to children.
I'm assuming our line follows the same logic. Maybe a brave assumption, but one supported by the text.
So it seems likely the ban on entry applies to the red-list children, rather than to fully vaccinated adults.
Who knows if I'm right, but maybe there's a scrap of logic to this interpretation when married to the text.
Jul 15, 2021, 6:52 am
#73
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 842
If you go to the Qatar Airways website and check out the travel and entry requirements from a red list country to Doha you will have the following text. This example was for MNL-DOH:
a) Minors between (0-11) years old are not allowed to enter.
b) Minors between (12-17) years old traveling from countries on Red, Yellow & Green list countries.
b1) who are fully vaccinated are allowed to enter without quarantine.
b2) if not vaccinated will not be allowed entry
The last part is confusing (a + b) and I am guessing is referring to unaccompanied minors as they wouldn’t be able to be quarantined in hotels.
In any case you need to get pre-approval via the Ehteraz website to travel if you are a visitor.
Group B: Family Visitors, Businessman (short-term visa), Tourist including GCC residents:
Group B: Family Visitors, Businessman (short-term visa), Tourist including GCC residents:
- Entry is restricted to vaccinated, and/or recovered individuals as defined in numbers 11, 12 &13, in the General policy.
- Fully vaccinated individuals:
- Exempted from quarantine if you are fully vaccinated with an MOPH recognized vaccine and at least (14) days have passed after receiving the second dose of a two-dose series vaccine or from the single dose in case of single-dose regime vaccine.
- Minors between (0-11) years old accompanied by their fully vaccinated parents are exempted from the quarantine if traveling from countries on the Green List.
- Minors between (0-11) years old accompanied by their fully vaccinated parents shall be subject to hotel quarantine for (07) days if traveling from countries on the Yellow List.
- No exceptions for Minors traveling from countries on the Red List.
a) Minors between (0-11) years old are not allowed to enter.
b) Minors between (12-17) years old traveling from countries on Red, Yellow & Green list countries.
b1) who are fully vaccinated are allowed to enter without quarantine.
b2) if not vaccinated will not be allowed entry
In any case you need to get pre-approval via the Ehteraz website to travel if you are a visitor.
Jul 15, 2021, 7:31 am
#74
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Miami, FL, USA
Posts: 4,049
Yes you are right ! the box is not blank, it simply does not specify who the ban applies to. The preceding categories (in the two other boxes to the left) refer to children.
In the line above the one we re discussing, all three of these the boxes are subsets of the general category, and refer to children.
I'm assuming our line follows the same logic. Maybe a brave assumption, but one supported by the text.
So it seems likely the ban on entry applies to the red-list children, rather than to fully vaccinated adults.
Who knows if I'm right, but maybe there's a scrap of logic to this interpretation when married to the text.
In the line above the one we re discussing, all three of these the boxes are subsets of the general category, and refer to children.
I'm assuming our line follows the same logic. Maybe a brave assumption, but one supported by the text.
So it seems likely the ban on entry applies to the red-list children, rather than to fully vaccinated adults.
Who knows if I'm right, but maybe there's a scrap of logic to this interpretation when married to the text.
Jul 15, 2021, 9:37 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Portland, OR.
Programs: AA PPro
Posts: 606
Thanks for the helpful interpretations. I travel in two weeks and only intended to spend one night in DOH despite two long layovers. So my plan is to get the straight information upon arrival on my outbound layover to get squared away for my return.
Did anyone figure out the PCR test requirement for transit passengers?
Did anyone figure out the PCR test requirement for transit passengers?