Travel and quarantine guidelines updated for GCC citizens and residents entering Qatar

Travel and quarantine guidelines updated for GCC citizens and residents entering Qatar

GCC citizens and residents are allowed to enter the State of Qatar at any time, provided they follow the travel and return policy.

Quarantine Policy:

Citizens and residents can return to the State of Qatar at any time, provided they adhere to the travel and return policy and protocols announced.

Citizens, residents, and visitors shall bear the cost of the hotel quarantine for (7) days, if the hotel quarantine criteria apply, provided that the booking made through "Discover Qatar?" before their travel abroad.

If the hotel quarantine criteria apply, the government will cover the costs of the hotel quarantine packages for patients receiving their treatment abroad at the expense of the State, along with their official escorts. The employer is responsible to cover the quarantine expenses for their employees who are on official missions.

With home quarantine, the accommodation conditions should be suitable, provided it has a separate room with its ensuite bathroom. If the accommodation is not appropriate, one of the hotel quarantine packages must be booked for (7) days through the "Discover Qatar?" website before traveling to Qatar.

Visitors, who don’t meet the Quarantine exemption criteria whether traveling from green listed countries or non-green listed countries, are hotel quarantined at their own expenses for (7) days. They should book a quarantine package from the listed hotels on the "Discover Qatar?" website before their travel to Qatar.

It is the responsibility of individuals to ensure that they are updated with any changes in the Entry and Return policy of the State of Qatar through the official sources and the sites mentioned above before planning their trip.

Fully vaccinated individuals:?

Citizens and residents who have completed the vaccination doses are exempt from quarantine upon return from travel if at least 14 days have passed after receiving the second dose of a two-dose series vaccine or from the single dose in case of single-dose regime vaccine, provided that the vaccines are recognized by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar and a negative PCR test result before returning to Qatar.

Citizens and residents may travel at any time after receiving the second dose. However, if they travel before the completion of the (14) days of the second dose and return before this period is completed then they will be subjected to home quarantine for a period of (7) days or until they finish the (14) days from the second dose, whichever is shorter.?

The validity of the vaccine to grant quarantine exemption is nine months, starting (14) days after the second dose. This immunity period could be extended based on new and emerging data.?

Non-vaccinated children below 18 years of age returning to Qatar from countries not included in the Green List with fully vaccinated parents are home quarantined for (7) days and be subjected to a PCR test on day 6.

These rules apply to citizens and residents vaccinated in other countries using the vaccines recognized by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar. In this case, an official vaccination card or certificate from the country where the vaccine was obtained should be presented to the medical team at the ports of entry upon arrival.?

GCC citizens and residents must present the following documents to be eligible for quarantine exemption:

- An approved vaccination certificate with the date of their single dose;

- An approved medical certificate showing the date of their COVID-19 infection;

- Negative PCR test result from swab taken within 72 hours prior to entering Qatar.

GCC citizens and residents will be required to do PCR test at Hamad International Airport or Abu Samra upon arrival with additional fees of QR300 payable using a bank card or through an online link which will be sent to the individual’s mobile number immediately after registering in HIA or Abu Samra Clinics. 

Only the following vaccines will be accepted by MOPH:

Pfizer BioNTech

Moderna

Astrazeneca

Covishield (Astrazeneca)

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

Sinopharm

All of the quarantine exemptions mentioned above are not applicable to GCC citizens and its residents who are traveling into Qatar from any of the 6 East Asian countries where mandatory hotel quarantine applies. 

The policy change is in line with the latest clinical evidence showing that the combination of antibodies due to previous infection and one vaccine dose are on par with fully vaccinated individuals.

For more details visit: https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/Pages/Qatar-Travel-Policyy.aspx#gccpolicy