Entry to Qatar - New Insurance Requirements
 

Thought I'd share here as I've just recieved the following email from Qatar Airways:

Seems to be QAR50/month (about £11, US$20) and apply to both visa applicants and visitor entry on arrival (obviously not in airport transit only).

The insurance providers are a selection of specific Qatari providers.

Appears to apply immediately!

Thanks for posting this!

They always come out with these last minute, half baked ideas.

For a country that is trying so hard to grow its tourism industry, it seems crazy that they are putting up more barriers. I know it's a small thing, but they are all a factor when someone is deciding where to go.

If you really can't use your existing medical/travel insurance and have to purchase theirs this really is a faff. I know it isn't that expensive but it'd put me off stopping over.

Bonkers

Yes certainly seems like a disincentive to enter Qatar (I've entered twice but on both occasions for less than a day).

Even worse, if you are planning on charging an entry fee, just make it really easy for us to hand over the cash in a single government portal (like the US ESTA process) - I followed these insurance links and they wanted all my personal, passport and contact information, then they'd call me.....no thanks.

Guess the world cup aside, they really don't want visitors...

The FAQs read as though it starts when you enter and ends when you leave, unless you have a multiple entry visa. So if you are entering on stopovers both ways on a journey, say twice in a week, you have to pay twice even though the policy is nominally for up to a month.

It doesn't appear to have been very well thought through, or worded. I suspect it may change once the various difficulties (many already spotted on this thread) become obvious over the next few days.

Mixed messages on tourism. This week it was announced that the validity of the Hayaa card has been extended so those who would normally need a visa to travel to Qatar don't if they have a Hayaa card.

The insurance has been in the works for a while now. Its been mentioned in the local news a number of times over the last few months.

What happens if you don't have it when you check in? Will they deny you boarding (unless you quickly go online and get it) or can you also purchase it on arrival?

Can anyone further explain what this means to us -- as we are planning on leaving the airport for just a few hours in a couple of weeks.

1. Do we still need to purchase this health insurance?
2. If so, how do we go about doing it now that it isn't a problem when we get there (to immigration/customs)?

Ignore my prior message.

I got on one of the insurance companies website and purchased a policy for my wife and me. We'll only be in town for a few hours, but it looks like you'll need it to leave the airport. Pretty easy to buy. I printed out the receipts showing proof of purchase and will carry it with me.

liftet this comment from another website, which i can not find anymore: "Came into Hamid Int'l airport before midday today and it was rather a mess at Immigration because most people cannot prove they have insurance. I have a policy with Safety Wing and fortunately I made a kind of plasticized c/c style membership card which I keep in my wallet and it saved my bacon today as the officer accepted it."

I think from the Loyalty Lobby article comments - https://loyaltylobby.com/2023/02/01/...bruary-1-2023/

Moreover how can anyone take Qatar seriously as a tourist destination when they add these rules with no notice?

Which one did you go for btw if you don’t mind sharing?

Beema (See attachment).

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9dbf67a109.png
Copy of Qatar Insurance Policy -