Huge immigration lines & visa fee for US citizens to enter Qatar
May 1, 2025 | 4:33 am
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH LT SEN, QR Platinum. BA Silver (going down further)
Posts: 10,235
Compared to the US, Doha is a pleasant breeze. Quick, easy, friendly. And I can only give all US citizens a friendly smile if they feel uncomfortable with long lines, fees and other hurdles. Welcome to the real world and I sincerely hope the world will enlighten the US with more deals of fair reciprocity.
May 1, 2025 | 8:54 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QRPC PLT/OW EMD; Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 14,559
May 4, 2025 | 12:20 am
#64
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 199
Not great experience with Qatar stopover a few days ago. The immigration took well over 1 hour, not only because of long lines, but they seem to spend a lot to time with everyone. I hope they stopped all criminals trying to enter Qatar with European and US passports as most of the people in line were.
I also forgot that Qatar now charges US citizens visa-on-arrival fee, which slows down immigration even more. I have another passport, which allows visa-free entry to Qatar but the officer tried to deny me entry with a different passport, because I checked in with Qatar Airways using US passport, which did not make any sense. After long discussion and calls to his superiors I was finally allowed to enter with another passport without paying visa fees, but the whole experience was like 3rd world country. Really?
If Qatar really wants to boost tourism and have more people add stopovers, the immigration should improve.
I also forgot that Qatar now charges US citizens visa-on-arrival fee, which slows down immigration even more. I have another passport, which allows visa-free entry to Qatar but the officer tried to deny me entry with a different passport, because I checked in with Qatar Airways using US passport, which did not make any sense. After long discussion and calls to his superiors I was finally allowed to enter with another passport without paying visa fees, but the whole experience was like 3rd world country. Really?
If Qatar really wants to boost tourism and have more people add stopovers, the immigration should improve.
May 4, 2025 | 5:31 am
#65
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Alpharetta, GA, USA
Posts: 1,155
I have both US and UK passports. Flying BKK-DOH-DXB with an overnight in Doha where I plan to enter Qatar. Am I best served by checking in with my UK passport at BKK so that theres no fee in Doha? Even if I enter Thailand on my US passport?
May 4, 2025 | 4:14 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 199
That's an interesting question, I am pretty sure that you have to use same one that you entered with, when you are exiting at the immigration. But in theory you can check in with another one. I don't know if immigration officer would see this or make fuss about it. Would be interesting to hear if someone knows for sure.
May 4, 2025 | 5:04 pm
#67
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Alpharetta, GA, USA
Posts: 1,155
That's an interesting question, I am pretty sure that you have to use same one that you entered with, when you are exiting at the immigration. But in theory you can check in with another one. I don't know if immigration officer would see this or make fuss about it. Would be interesting to hear if someone knows for sure.
May 21, 2025 | 3:21 am
#68
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,184
ETA - The visa status online shows its valid for two years!
Not sure why the stamp is different.
This question is a little too late:
We got the visa stamped on arrival with the 21$ fee (USA passport).
Just noticed the visa is only valid for 15 months!!
(Stamped in May 2025, expires in August 2026)
of course this is too late as we already left Qatar
the officer did say it was valid for two years.
We just didnt check the dates on the spot.
Not sure why the stamp is different.
This question is a little too late:
We got the visa stamped on arrival with the 21$ fee (USA passport).
Just noticed the visa is only valid for 15 months!!
(Stamped in May 2025, expires in August 2026)
of course this is too late as we already left Qatar
the officer did say it was valid for two years.
We just didnt check the dates on the spot.
Last edited by ft4lyf; May 21, 2025 at 3:27 am
May 21, 2025 | 5:13 pm
#71
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Silver, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,313
The other day I was in the immigration line and noticed that it took between 3 to 4 minutes for each pax. Thankfully there were only 4 people ahead of me, so the sample size falls short of significant, but it's not quick...
May 28, 2025 | 1:07 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Alpharetta, GA, USA
Posts: 1,155
A little confused as I've only transited Doha in the past. I have a 20 hour layover in July and can enter on either my UK or US passport. I can't tell which one is better to use (i.e. cheaper) for entry. I get different results depending on searching via Qatar Airways or the Qatar government website. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
May 28, 2025 | 3:21 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 18,280
A little confused as I've only transited Doha in the past. I have a 20 hour layover in July and can enter on either my UK or US passport. I can't tell which one is better to use (i.e. cheaper) for entry. I get different results depending on searching via Qatar Airways or the Qatar government website. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
May 28, 2025 | 10:40 pm
#74
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Doha, Qatar
Posts: 411
A little confused as I've only transited Doha in the past. I have a 20 hour layover in July and can enter on either my UK or US passport. I can't tell which one is better to use (i.e. cheaper) for entry. I get different results depending on searching via Qatar Airways or the Qatar government website. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Jun 3, 2025 | 11:04 am
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), IHG Plat (CC), UA (*G) Gold, AA Plat (OWS)
Posts: 10,029
US passport - given 90 days - not 2 years as the Visit Qatar website says - paid 76 QAR by card
Last edited by ElevatorEnthusiast; Jun 3, 2025 at 11:16 am