Qatar reopens to fully vaccinated international travellers with no quarantine

Qatar has reopened its borders to international travellers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, without the need for quarantine.

However, the decision will only cover travellers fully inoculated with vaccines approved by Qatar including Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-Astrazeneca (including Covishield), Johnson & Johnson and Sinopharm.

Also, atleast 14 days must have passed since the completion of the vaccination programme, an official statement said.

Travellers vaccinated with Sinopharm will also need to pre-book a quarantine hotel if they are coming from a yellow or red list country, and they will be subject to an antibody test on arrival in the hotel. If the antibody test result is positive with antibodies, they will be discharged on day 1 (if coming from yellow), or once the on-hotel-arrival PCR test result is negative for travellers coming from a red list country.

All international visitors, citizens and residents must also register and upload required documentation such as a vaccination certificate, valid PCR test up to 72 hours prior to travel, and personal details onto the ‘Ehteraz’ website.

They have to apply for the authorisation through the Ehteraz website at least 12 hours before their planned departure to Qatar.

Airlines will only be permitted to let passengers who have a valid travel authorisation for Qatar board.

While travellers from 80 nationalities can visit Qatar with a free visa on arrival, those requiring a visitor visa must first obtain a visitor visa and then apply for their travel authorisation on the Ehteraz website.

Visitors will require a confirmed hotel booking to visit Qatar.

Upon arrival, all travellers are required to download and activate the Ehteraz mobile app which requires a domestic Qatari SIM card.

A SIM card can be purchased from either Ooredoo or Vodafone on arrival at Hamad International Airport.

“Travellers are advised to check the entry requirements of the country they are travelling from and will return to from Qatar, before booking any flights and should understand that those policies can change with very little notice,” the statement added.

Qatar is looking to slowly boost tourism as it prepares to host the FIFA World Cup next year.