Moving to Qatar
You certainly have many questions, and these web resources can help you navigate the road ahead:
Once in Qatar, the Marhaba Information Guide (available for 20QR at area stores) is a detailed guide to services and activities.
Recent experience has shown that Qatari authorities have raised the bar with strict enforcement of driver’s license policies, as well as immigration policies.
A US citizen holding an American or international driver’s license, in order to obtain a Qatar driver’s license, the individual must pass the eye test, sign test and driving test first try. If the individual fails the driving test, he or she will be given a second chance to take the test within 7-10 days. Should the individual fail the second time, a 40 day driving course will be mandatory, before being eligible to take an additional test attempt. We believe it is crucial that site leads advise personnel about the importance of having a focused approach in getting the QDL in order to avoid retesting and additional expenses later.
For immigration the ministry no longer converts business or tourist visas to work visas. Individuals that will be processing for 1 year visa must now enter Qatar under proper visa type. Failure to do so will require the individual to leave the country to reenter on the correct visa, once it has been issued.
Many changes in procedures and enforcement happen unannounced. We will strive to keep the clients up to date as we see fluctuations materializing.
The information above was disseminated by Middle East Business Solutions. Please contact them for further information.