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Vaccine Requirements & Restrictions in Qatar: How Do They Affect Your Travel Plan?

Vaccine Requirements & Restrictions in Qatar: How Do They Affect Your Travel Plan?

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This article is reviewed regularly by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.

Updated 11 August 2021

On 12 July 2021, Qatar reopened its borders for international travellers who were fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by the country’s Ministry of Public Health. This has eased access to travel not only for international passengers but also Qatar residents and locals.

Planning to make a trip to the peninsular country? Here’s everything you need to know about the vaccine requirements and travel restrictions before your trip to Qatar.

Qatar vaccination requirements for international arrivals

All international travellers wishing to enter Qatar must be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccination which includes AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Janssen, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Sinopharm at least 14 days before arrival. Otherwise travellers will be allowed entry into Qatar only if they have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 12 months of their arrival.

Travelers fully vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine will be subject to an antibody test on arrival. If the result is positive with antibodies, you are exempt from quarantine; otherwise the traveller must undergo applicable quarantine based on country of departure and perform COVID-19 PCR tests upon arrival.

Testing and entry requirements for international arrivals

  • Travellers must have a negative RT-PCR test carried out maximum 72 hours before time of arrival. It must be done in a medical center approved by the local health authority of the issuing country to perform COVID-19 PCR tests.
  • Travellers must also register through the Ehteraz website at least 12 hours before travel in which they must upload the required official documents. It is mandatory for travelers to install and activate Ehteraz app on their mobile phone using locally authorized SIM cards that can be obtained from one of the local providers (Ooredoo or Vodafone).
  • Travelers must present an official vaccination certificate with a valid QR Code that includes the following information:
  1. Name of the recipient as mentioned in their passport.
  2. Vaccination date clearly written as 1st and/or 2nd dose.
  3. Type/Name of vaccine.
  4. Vaccine Lot number (if available).
  5. Official logo and stamp of the vaccination authority.

Fully vaccinated travelers coming from Red list countries will undergo a repeat RT-PCR test (on traveler’s expense) on arrival in Hamad International Airport/land border, if the test is positive, traveler must adhere to isolation protocol. This does not apply to travellers coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines or Sri Lanka.

Fully vaccinated travellers coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines or Sri Lanka will be subject to hotel quarantine for a period of two days. The quarantine period will end after obtaining a negative PCR test result on the second day. Travelers from the above countries will need to have been vaccinated in Qatar in order to enter.

Testing and entry requirements for GCC citizens and residents

For GCC citizens and residents diagnosed and recovered from COVID-19 in any GCC country, travellers who have received at least one dose of any recognized vaccines by MOPH Qatar shall be exempt from quarantine provided that a valid official certificate detailing the previous infection, issued by the local Ministry of Health in the GCC, is presented.

Allowances for vaccinated Qatar residents

Fully vaccinated Qatar residents would be exempted from quarantine requirements following trips abroad or coming into contact with a COVID-19 positive case. The following are the exemption criteria:

  • 14 days must have passed after receiving the second dose before returning to Qatar.
  • A negative PCR test is required on return to Qatar following travel or following exposure.
  • The quarantine exemption is valid for a period of nine months, starting 14 days after the second dose.

Children under 18 with fully vaccinated parents are allowed to serve quarantine at home upon their return from non-green list countries.

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