Qatar lists Pakistanis as eligible for free 30-day visa on arrival

For Pakistani travellers the listing removes the need to secure a visa before departure, but only for those who meet the money, booking and insurance conditions. For Qatar it reopens a tourist channel that was suspended on 31 March 2026.

A 30-day visa, with a shorter stay possible

The visa is free and valid for up to 30 days, ProPakistani and Aaj TV reported.

A further 30 days is possible, but only with a confirmed return ticket before it is granted, according to ministry terms reported by Gulf News and The Express Tribune. The permitted stay may be shorter than 30 days depending on the hotel reservation. Business visits are not covered, and the ministry routes them through accredited companies only. The scheme is separate from Qatar's other visa-free entry arrangements and tourist visa programmes.

Discover Qatar states that immigration authorities make the final decision on entry approval, and that a hotel booking does not guarantee a visa.

Cash, insurance and a Discover Qatar booking

Applicants must hold at least QR5,000 in cash or the equivalent on a valid credit card, according to the ministry's terms. The Express Tribune quoted the ministry's wording: "The applicant should hold the amount of (5000 QR) or the equivalent of a valid credit card".

The four headline conditions are a valid passport, a confirmed return ticket, a Discover Qatar booking and health insurance.

Accommodation must be booked through Discover Qatar, the official tourism platform, and reservations made through other websites do not qualify. Health insurance must cover at least one month and costs QR50, with QIC and QLM among the recommended providers. Travellers arriving directly from Pakistan also need a polio vaccination certificate. On arrival at Hamad International Airport they report first to the Discover Qatar desk, before immigration, for document checks, then move on to eye scans and biometrics.

Buying the insurance triggers an email with the receipt and certificate, and both documents must be carried. The list of approved insurers is on the Ministry of Public Health website. Travellers who cannot produce the required documents may not be granted the visa at all, the ministry has said.

A reversal after the March suspension

The facility had been withdrawn. On 30 March the Pakistan Embassy in Doha advised that visa on arrival was temporarily unavailable and told travellers to obtain a visa before departure. Qatar suspended it effective 31 March 2026, with the Hayya platform as the alternative route.

The latest ministry listing puts Pakistani nationals back among those eligible. ProPakistani, Ary News and Dialogue Pakistan reported that citizens of India and Thailand also qualify under the same facility.

The passport rule is not settled

Some ministry pages require a passport valid for at least three months from arrival, while a Pakistani-specific entry page requires six months. ProPakistani flagged the conflict and advised at least six months of validity, noting the three-month figure is on the general page and the six-month figure on the Pakistani-specific page.

ProPakistani also advised checking with the airline or Qatari immigration before travelling.

The Diplomatic Insight said travellers should check rules with the Ministry of Interior, Discover Qatar or the Pakistan Embassy in Doha, because entry conditions have shifted several times this year.