Doha, 28 Nov 2021

Qatar authorities have stressed on expatriates on illegal status to regularize their stay in Qatar or leave the country without any legal action by 31st December 2021. It was announced at a press conference held at the Follow-up and Search Department of Ministry of Interior by Capt. Kamal

Expatriates workers who are staying in State of Qatar having Illegal status as per the provisions of Law No. 2 of 2015  and wish to leave Qatar :

1.  The expatriate living in Qatar NOT renewed the residence permit and has exceeded a period of 90 days from the validity date, and an absconding complaint hasn’t filed against him/her by the employer.

2.  The expatriate who stays in the country and an absconding complaint (Leaving the work illegally) has been filed against him/her by his employer, but 30 days have not completed from the date of filing the complaint.

3. Family Residence Permits and Visitors who have violated the Period of Stay to pay fine and can return to Qatar.

4. The Expatriate who have violated the law and an absconding complaint (Leaving the work – Violation of the purpose) has been filed against him/her by his employer and more than 30 days have been passed from the date of complaint filing.

5. An Expatriate whose residence permit has been cancelled and has passed 90 days from its cancellation.

Procedure: Above categories violators can leave the country after paying fine and can also return back as per the laws of the country.

Note: In all cases, the deportation of the minors under the age of 18 will be without ban  to return to Qatar, regardless of their violation of the provisions of the law, and they are exempted from any legal consequences.

Mechanism of the Procedures at Search and Follow Up Department For Those Leaving Qatar

1- The violating person has to come without any fear of any legal action to the  Search and Follow-up Department (the main reception hall) along with his/her passport and open travel ticket between 0100 PM - 0600 PM from Sunday to Thursday.

2-  Procedure takes maximum time of 3 minutes only, the concerned staff will verify the data and complete all the necessary procedures. Seat for the flight will be reserved from the ticketing office available in the premises of Search and Follow-Up Department. Upon completion of procedure, a travel permit is issued to the violating person and hands it over to him to go to the airport as a normal passenger as per the flight schedule. He/she should be adhering to the Covid – 19 precautionary measures followed in the country.

Those wish to stay in Qatar after regularizing their status

1- Those residents have not renewed their residence visa and passed 90 days from the expiry date of residence permit and wish to move to another employer.

2- Those residents reported to the authorities as absconder before 10th of October 2021, and they wish to move to another employer.

3. Those entered in Qatar on job visa but failed to approach authorities to process residence visa and have passed 90 days

The violator has to fill the designated form, attach new employer's establishment registration and submit at any one of the following five Service Centers. The Labour department requires only five working days to decide if all conditions specified by the concerned authorities are met.

1- Umm Sulal Services Center

2- Umm Sunaim Services Center

3- Musaimeer Services Center

4- Al Wakra Services Center

5- Al Rayyan Services Center

Pleaser Note: No application will be accepted from the violator or the person against whom a ‘Leaving Work’ complaint has been filed after announcing the amnesty effective 10th of October 2021.