Qatar
QATQatar is a small high-income Gulf state with no personal income tax, world-class infrastructure, and a population that is ~88% non-citizen. Long-stay residency is via employer sponsorship (work visa), family of a sponsored worker, or the Permanent Residency Permit (introduced 2018) for a small annual quota of high-earner / exceptional-talent / property-investor applicants.
Citizenship is essentially unobtainable for non-Arabs by residence; even Arab Gulf nationals require 25 years of residence and case-by-case Emiri approval. The 2022 World Cup and Vision 2030 have intensified inward-investment programmes.
- Naturalisation
- 25 years
- Tax system
- No Income Tax
- Currency
- Qatari riyal (QAR)
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Doha
- Region
- middle east
- Population
- 2,980,000
- Cost-of-living
- 78 /100
Passport Rank
#51
Visa-Free
103
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Qatar passport has visa-free access to 103 destinations. See the full Qatar passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Qatar without a prior visa (97)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Qatar
Current IRCC processing times for Qatar nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 61 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | 6 weeks |
| Work permit | 11 weeks |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Doha
- Currency
- Qatari riyal (QAR)
- Languages
- Arabic, English
- Population
- 2,980,000
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 25 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Hot desert
- English Proficiency Rank
- #65
- GDP per capita
- $72,525
- Life expectancy
- 82.52 yrs
- Population growth
- 3.92%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
78
Safety
86
Healthcare
73
Quality of Life
158
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 25 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doha | $1,700 | $1,200 | $380 | $200 | $80 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist eVisa
- GCC Visa
- Employment Residency Permit
- Family Residence Permit
- Permanent Residency (Limited)
- Investor Residence Permit
- Student Visa
- Visit Visa
- Authority
- Ministry of Interior - Search and Follow Up Department
- Official Portal
- portal.moi.gov.qa
- Phone
- +974-2347444
- info@moi.gov.qa
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 25
- Language Test
- Yes (Arabic)
- Civic Test
- Yes
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- —
- Processing
- —
International Schools
← scroll the table →
| School | City | Curriculum | Tuition (USD/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doha College | Doha | British / IGCSE / A-Level | $14,000–$24,000 |
| American School of Doha | Doha | American | $22,000–$38,000 |
Daily Life Logistics
Internet
230 Mbps median
99% fibre coverage
eSIM: Ooredoo Qatar, Vodafone Qatar
LGBTQ+ Legal Status
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not legal
- Civil Partnerships
- Not recognised
- Anti-Discrimination Law
- No
- ILGA Rank
- —
Religious Life
- Halal Food
- Widely available
- Kosher Food
- Limited
- Prayer Facilities
- Common
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Qatar, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Ministry of Justice (Qatar)
MOJSupervises the legal profession and lawyer licensing in Qatar and operates the official Lawyers Portal.
Related Guides
Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list
Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.
Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave
Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Qatar, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Permanent Residency (Law No. 10 of 2018)
ResidenceA distinct permanent-residence status created by Law No. 10 of 2018 and granted by a dedicated Ministry of Interior committee. It is not Qatari citizenship.
Real Estate Residence (Property Owner)
ResidenceResidence linked to owning real estate in Qatar designated areas. Listed among Qatar official visa categories as the Real Estate Visa.
Work (sponsored)
Work Residence Permit
Work (sponsored)The standard employer-sponsored residence permit for foreign nationals coming to work and live in Qatar. A Qatari employer applies and handles the paperwork.
Family
Family Residence Visa
FamilyAllows an expatriate resident in Qatar to sponsor immediate family members. Each family member, including infants, requires an individual Family Residence Visa.
Investor
Investor Residence Visa
InvestorA residence visa granted by the Ministry of Interior to foreign nationals coming to Qatar for investment, applied for through the Hukoomi portal.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Hospitals
Sources & last verified
- Last verified