Qatari visa application question
 

I just got sent the visa application form for Qatar, which I plan to visit in February for a conference. There's a line on the form, right below the one that asks about nationality, asking for a religious affiliation. I'm Jewish (although totally non-observant, as if that matters) and a US citizen. While I have no qualms whatsoever about visiting Qatar and am excited about going there, filling in that line on the visa application just makes me uncomfortable. If I leave it blank, will that cause problems?

I have been to Egypt but can't remember if they asked this question on the visa application. (In case anyone brings this up, yes, I have been to Israel but I asked them to leave the stamp out of my passport.)

Some other countries in that region ask the same question. Personally I'm more Buddhist than anything, but I put down Christian on the form since that is the only entry I know for sure won't cause me any trouble. Putting down Jewish *may* cause you problems with the authorities. An attentive immigration officer won't like a blank line either.

Qatar has no prohibitions against Jewish visitors (unlike certain other Arab countries). They do not however permit entry to any citizens of Israel, even if they hold dual citizenship with another country.

You should have no problem declaring your religious affiliation as Jewish. The questions on the forms are targeted more towards identifying Muslim visitors who are subject to mildly different laws than other visitors (eg. alcohol, pork, etc..).

The fact that any human has to think about this kind of issue makes me both sad and angry. With consideration to all my Arab friends I would find it fair if citizens of all countries discriminating against Israel and anyone of Jewish faith would be banned from entering the European Union/ETA and the USA/NAFTA countries. If a deal could be worked out with China/Japan/Korea too, it would present a good lobbying tool to reverse this kind of fascist policies. And let's fund R&D on fusion energy for this reason too.

I agree fully on the religious discrimination front and the energy substitution needs. However, countries discriminating based on citizenship in the immigration process concerns me far less than discrimination based on religion. Even here in the US, we discriminate based on nationality all the time in the immigration process. We even engage in religious discrimination in the immigration process.

For what it's worth or not worth, I know plenty of jewish people who stated such on their visa applications when applying for visas (there and elsewhere) and were noted (correctly or incorrectly) by the immigration officials as being jewish. What often (but not always) follows is a delay or an inquiry (passing or otherwise) if one is also an Israeli citizen. If one is, then "Houston, we have a problem" may be an appropriate line if one discloses such. Dual citizen Israeli-Americans are stationed, live and work in Qatar; they just don't do it using their Israeli passport and leave said national affiliation unmentioned and/or deny such.

The irony is that our (US's) closest allies are also amongst the most open practioners of religious discrimination and national hostility.

It is pretty annoying (although my status as a single female traveler usually gets me a lot more grief than the fact that I'm Jewish). I don't run into this issue much in my travels. As a completely nonreligious person, it just bugs the hell out of me to have to identify myself as one faith or another, as if being an atheist isn't an option. Second, why should it matter what I believe to anyone issuing a visa--if, as B747-437B says, they're asking to find out whether you should be subject to laws for Muslims, then why don't they just ask whether you're Muslim or not? And finally, as a person who grew up in the US in a distinctly Jewish (and proud) culture/family, I'm highly reluctuant to try to "pass," even if I don't believe any of the teachings of the Jewish religion. Sigh.

OK, enough about my spiritual crisis here. I'm still getting conflicting information about filling out that visa form. The Travisa folks (my expediters) are saying I can leave it blank. Still don't know if I should. I wonder if calling the consulate would get me anywhere, or if it would get me blacklisted?

OK. I am not an Israeli citizen. Thanks for that info, which is a big step in the right direction.

I too vehemently disagree with Israel's discriminatory policies regarding its non-Jewish residents. I don't remember whether they asked me on the way in or out about being Jewish. Probably the Israeli immigration officers are the only ones on the planet that could actually identify me as such based on my last name, though. They of all people wouldn't have to ask.

I've used "non-denominational deist".

I think the US government should protest that such a field and inquiry is being asked by a country that we protect. [And the irony is that most of the Qatari royal family has jewish-American friends from their school days in the US.]

I think Shia muslims get racked over the coals on this front as much, if not more than most, in the GCC countries that inquire about this.

For all practical purposes, this already exists. The average middle class Arab, no matter his political or religious leanings, has approximately zero chance of receiving a tourist or business visa for the United States regardless of his bonafides. Even when he is granted such a visa, he is then subjected to the NSEERS system. In fact, even if said Arab has long since become a Canadian or British or Australian citizen - he will still be considered an NSEERS candidate simply because he was born in that country.

If you consider your religious faith to be Jewish, then fill out the form as such.

If Qatar chooses to deny you a visa on those grounds, then do you really want to associate with Qatar? Why force yourself to travel to a country where you are obviously not welcome. There is an entire world out there for you to travel to instead - enjoy it. It is their loss, not yours.

Bahrain used to do something similar (and may still). This "faith-based" inquiry was initially aimed at Shia muslims who the Sunni ruling classes there considered to be a revolutionary "risk". It might also have been there for purposes of allowing or denying inter-religious marriges when one party was a non-national. (On this latter point, maybe Bahrain was not the country engaged in such, but Saudi Arabia definitely does similar junk.)

An old school friend of mine (Shia muslim) was initially denied a Bahrain residence permit on these grounds, until his employer (Citibank) raised hell and got things fixed. This was as recently as 3-4 years ago.

The thing that you have to understand, especially when doing business in that part of the world, is that religion plays a much bigger role in politics than it does in the US or Europe (US bible belt and EU Christian club aside). The governments in the ME whether secular or not must kowtow to religious leaders and having some sort of screening at immigration is a small price to pay for civil accord. This is absolutely true in Israel too.

Very valid point.

Well, it's not a vacation--although it is a boondoggle business trip, I will admit! Even so, I have a hard time dismissing whole countries as destinations because of their governments' policies (see also "United States of America"). And I really do want to go. I find the Middle East pretty fascinating, from a cultural standpoint, and this is my first chance to get to any of those countries outside Egypt and Israel. I have a weird desire to go to Yemen and Syria too (not to mention Libya), no matter what their opinions are about Jews. I just think there's a hell of a lot to see that would be really interesting. What's really holding me back is my solo female status and my total lack of Arabic language ability. I was pretty intrigued by that NYT article about Libya in last Sunday's travel section, I must say.

travelmad you have a good attitude. Your being jewish shouldn't stop you from visiting most of these countries. However the female part can make it difficult in some places. If Qatar doesn't work out for you, do try the UAE. Plenty of western women go there for vacation or business.

For me I will do or say most anything to get into certain countries. Claiming another religion is nothing. Try having to bribe or sneak your way into a country sometime! That shows you really, truly want to visit.

I've snuck into Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, does that count? Never paid a bribe though, even in three years living in the FSU. :)