The Ministry of Interior and the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) announced, on Sunday (September 10th) in a statement, the new visa measures adopted to ensure access for Moroccan and Algerian nationals. «Citizens who so wish may apply for a visa upon their arrival in Qatar provided if they are in possession of a valid residence or visa issued by one of the member countries of the Council of Gulf Cooperation (...), the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia or New Zealand or a Schengen member country», wrote the same source. «This procedure, which will come into effect on September 15, 2017, will allow eligible visitors to receive e-travel notification by completing an online application on http://www.qatarvisaservice.com at least 48 hours prior to travel» , indicate the Interior and the QTA. «Valid for 30 days, the visa granted on arrival will allow its holder a single entry to the territory of a maximum duration of 30 days with the possibility of extending the stay to 30 additional days without leaving the country. If the visitor leaves the country and wishes to return, he or she must submit a new electronic application.» «As for the citizens of the two countries who do not fulfill the conditions for obtaining a visa upon their arrival, they can apply directly to the tourist visa via the visa portal for Qatar,» said Brigadier General Mohammed Ahmed Al Ateeq, General Director of the Passport Department. «We hope that this latest decision will give a new impetus to our brothers from Morocco and Algeria to choose Doha as a destination or stopover in their travels. The same applies to businessmen from both countries who will be able to attend events or meetings and know about promising investment opportunities in Qatar,» said Hassan Al Ibrahim, QTA Tourism Development Officer.
