Qatar: Mandatory Health Insurance for Visitors Implemented

Effective February 1, 2023, applicants for visitor visas will be required to purchase a health insurance policy from an authorized vendor in order for the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to adjudicate their applications; this requirement will also go into effect on the same day for those individuals extending their visitor visas in-country. The new process will require individuals applying for visitor visas to complete all relevant visa requirements on the MOI’s visa portal or mobile application; once complete, they will be redirected to the Ministry of Public Health’s (MoPH) website where they will be asked to select a visitor’s insurance policy from one of the registered insurance companies. Once the insurance policy is issued, the MOI will issue the appropriate visitor visa. Individuals eligible for visas-on-arrival will be expected to purchase a health insurance policy from the MoPH website prior to arriving at any of the dedicated border crossings; the effective coverage date will begin on the date of entry into Qatar. The MoPH also indicated the visitors will be exempt from purchasing local health insurance if they hold an international insurance policy which includes coverage in Qatar for the entire duration of their stay and which is issued by one of the approved insurance companies. These new requirements supplement the health insurance law announced in late 2021 and the additional legislation which came into effect in October 2022. It is expected that the requirement for mandatory health insurance for other visa types, including initial Work and Family Residence Permits and renewals, will also be implemented soon.