Qatar: New Five-year Residence Permit for Talented Individuals and Entrepreneurs Announced

• Eligibility for talent category. To be eligible under the talent category, the applicant must:
  • Obtain an endorsement from a relevant government authority in Qatar as a talented individual in one of 13 approved fields, including arts, entertainment, sports, education, scientific research, development or innovation; and
  • Have a job offer or an employment contract with an employer in Qatar, or prove that they have a minimum of QAR 36,500 (approximately USD 10,027) to support themselves until their immigration process in Qatar is complete.
• Eligibility for entrepreneur category. To be eligible under the entrepreneur category:
  • The applicant must have a business plan for an investment in Qatar which has been endorsed by one of the authorized businesses incubators in Qatar, including the Qatar Science & Technology Park and Qatar Fintech Hub; and
  • The investment must be worth a minimum of QAR 250,000 (approximately USD 68,671).

• Required documentation for all applicants. Applicants in both permit categories must provide:
  • a passport valid for at least six months from the visa application date (those applying from outside of Qatar must also ensure that their passport is valid for minimum of six months from the date of entry to Qatar);
  • a digital photograph;
  • a good conduct certificate issued in the last three months (or a police clearance certificate). Either document must be authenticated by the relevant authorities in the issuing country if applying from outside of Qatar); and
  • a personal bank statement (details of this requirement have not been clarified yet).
• Varied document requirements by category/location. Additionally, depending on the category of the residence permit and whether the individual is in Qatar or outside of Qatar when applying for the permit, the following documents may need to be provided (among others):
  • Applicant’s Qatar Identity Card;
  • A no-objection certificate from a current employer in Qatar (only if the applicant is currently employed in Qatar);
  • An employment contract with a previous employer in Qatar or a letter of experience;
  • An employment contract or a job offer with a new employer in Qatar; and/or
  • A current sponsor’s Qatar Identity Card or company establishment card.

Additional information on the required documents is expected to be released closer to when the system opens for applications.

Applicants must complete the following steps:

• Endorsement. Foreign nationals must first obtain an endorsement approval from a relevant government authority in Qatar, which they are expected to be able to complete electronically, although specific details and requirements have not yet been announced.
• Online application. Upon receiving the endorsement approval, they can then initiate the residence permit application process through an online platform, expected to be on the Mustaqel website; however, the website does not yet include the process.
• Issuance. Upon submitting the application and required documents, successful applicants will be issued an electronic pre-approval which will allow them to finalize their immigration process in Qatar.
• Visa endorsement. Those applying from outside of Qatar will have to present the pre-approval at a dedicated immigration counter upon arrival for an entry visa to be endorsed on the passport; they will then be required to complete a medical examination and obtain a Qatar Identity Card. The government has yet to release information on how individuals applying from within Qatar will obtain their visa endorsement or if their status will simply be reflected in the immigration system.
• Work authorization. It is not yet clear at which stage the individual will be authorized to work in Qatar.
• Fees. The government fee for the five-year residence permit under the talented individuals category is QAR 4,000 (approximately USD 1,099) and QAR 5,000 (approximately USD 1,374) for the entrepreneur category.

The new residence permit offers foreign nationals the opportunity for long-term stability and investment in Qatar, while also signaling continued efforts by the Qatari government to attract and retain talented individuals and entrepreneurs who can boost economic growth and innovation in the country.

The new program aligns with Qatar’s strategy for diversifying its economy and creating a leading investor and business-friendly environment, making it a favored destination for foreign investment and skilled talent.

Additional details on the program are expected to be released closer to when the program will be open for applications, expected within the next few months.