Qatar says to resume issuing entry visas starting July 12

CAIRO (Reuters) – Qatar is to resume issuing family and tourist entry visas starting on July 12, in line with new travel and return policies and based on health ministry COVID-19 recommendations, the interior ministry said on Twitter on Thursday.

The health ministry said in a statement on Thursday the new entry policies include providing a COVID-19 PCR test and classifying countries into three categories that would determine the quarantine policies.

Entry for family visits, businessmen and tourists including GCC citizens who do not have Qatari ID numbers will be limited to vaccinated and recovered cases.

All those who want to travel abroad will also need to be issued a travel permit and unvaccinated travellers to destinations not listed as green will have to book their institutional quarantine before departing Qatar, the health ministry added.

Passengers transiting through Qatar will also have to provide a COVID-19 PCR test, while fully vaccinated arrivals will take an anti-bodies test upon arrival to determine if they need to be institutionally quarantined.

Citizens and residents arriving showing symptoms will have to home-quarantine based on the onsite medical team’s recommendations.

Qatar is one of the top 10 countries worldwide in terms of percentage of population that completed their vaccination which means the new policies can be smoothly activated, the health ministry said.

(Reporting by Alaa Swilam and Ahmed Tolba; editing by David Evans)