🏟️ Qatar

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 56% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Many nationalities can enter Qatar visa-free, while others apply for an e-visa on the official Hayya platform. Your passport determines the visa rules, and the official Visit Qatar site has an eligibility checker for visas that shows the current status of your passport. The requirements to expect are a return ticket, a hotel booking that is confirmed, and a passport that is valid for 6 months. Stick to official sites only.

Culture and laws - take note

Customs here are conservative and Islamic. In public, dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered; swimwear is for hotel pools and beaches only. Licensed hotel venues are the only places serving alcohol, and it should not be carried or drunk in public. Penalties for drugs are severe, and some common medicines are controlled, so bring prescriptions. Showing affection in public is not accepted. Photographing people, particularly women, requires their permission first, and government buildings must not be photographed. Throughout Ramadan, eating, drinking or smoking in public during the daytime is not allowed. Summer heat is extreme. Observe prayer times and Friday.

Emergency

999 for police, ambulance and fire.

Good to know

Plugs and voltage

Visit Qatar says the standard voltage is 240 volts and the frequency 50 hertz, and that plug points are the same as in the UK. Appliances made for 100 to 127 volts need a voltage converter, or a combined plug adapter and voltage converter.

Cards and cash declarations

The currency is the Qatari riyal, and Canadian advice says credit cards are widely accepted. A declaration form is required when entering or leaving with a large sum, covering cash, travellers' cheques and precious metals or stones, and non-compliance can bring fines, imprisonment or seizure of the funds. Credit card fraud occurs, so cards and documents should be kept secure.

Local laws and customs

Drugs, alcohol, dress and photography

UK advice says Qatar has zero tolerance for drug offences, cannabis included, and that alcohol may be sold only in licensed venues, with drinking or being drunk in public illegal. Modest dress is expected, with shoulders and knees covered. Photographing or sharing images of people without consent can lead to imprisonment or a fine, and drones need a permit. Vaping is illegal, and sex outside marriage and same-sex sexual activity are both illegal.

Taxis and scams

Marked taxis and apps

In Qatar, Canadian advice is to stick to officially marked taxis, which are metered, and to ask for the meter or agree the fare beforehand. It adds that ridesharing apps and limousine services are widely used, and warns against getting into any cab that is already carrying passengers. UK advice is to book taxis ahead with reputable companies or recognised taxi apps, and to verify the registration number and make sure the driver has your name.

Card fraud and online contacts

Keep your belongings, passport included, secure, because Canadian advice says credit card fraud does happen in Qatar. The same advice warns that meeting someone you only know online could end in a scam, and says to take care around anyone who takes a strong interest in you online.

Who can help

local government

Visit Qatar (Qatar Tourism)

Helps with: Qatar's tourism body. Its contact page gives a local line, 106, and an international number, plus an email address for visitor questions.

Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Qatar or planning a trip there.

Phone: +974 4406 9921

Email: contact@visitqatar.qa

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Qatar emergency number 999

Helps with: Qatar's emergency number. The Visit Qatar safety page says emergency response is available by calling 999 and lists a tourism hotline, 106, as well.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Qatar facing an emergency.

Phone: 999

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Qatar Red Crescent Society

Helps with: Qatar's national Red Crescent society, a humanitarian charity founded in 1978. Its website has information on its projects; no phone number or address was shown on the page.

Who qualifies: People who want information about the society's humanitarian work.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Doha Corniche and West Bay Doha Corniche and West BayThe capital's skyline and seafront promenade, where visitors find the Museum of Islamic Art and rides on traditional dhow boats.Photo: Spetsnaz 1991, CC BY 2.0 Souq Waqif Souq WaqifCentral Doha holds a traditional market that has been restored, with evening crowds, restaurants, falcon shops and spice stalls.Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0 The Pearl and Lusail The Pearl and LusailThe World Cup final stadium, Lusail Boulevard, marinas and the Place Vendome mall are spread across an artificial island and newly built city districts.Photo: Alwaleed Khaled, CC BY 4.0 Katara Cultural Village Katara Cultural VillageBeside the sea, this cultural district has an amphitheatre, art galleries, mosques covered in colourful tiles and a public beach.Photo: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0 Khor Al Adaid (Inland Sea) Khor Al Adaid (Inland Sea)Dune tours in 4x4 vehicles reach this desert area under protection, down in the south, where the sea meets the sand dunes.Photo: Steven Byles from Singapore, Singapore, CC BY-SA 2.0 Al Zubarah Al ZubarahIn the north stands a restored fort within the former pearling town that is Qatar's UNESCO World Heritage Site.Photo: Rafeek Qatar, CC BY-SA 2.0

City selection based on: Visit Qatar listings, UNESCO World Heritage list, Euromonitor city ranking (Doha)

Festivals and events

sport

Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

around Nov-Dec 2026 · Doha (Lusail)

Lusail is the venue for an F1 race run at night.

Official site

culture

Qatar National Day (18 December)

18 Dec 2026 · Doha

Fireworks and a parade take place on the Corniche.

sport

MotoGP Qatar

around Mar-Apr 2027 · Doha (Lusail)

A MotoGP race is run at night at Lusail.

Official site

sport

Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

around Nov-Dec 2027 · Doha (Lusail)

Lusail is the venue for an F1 race run at night.

Official site

culture

Qatar National Day (18 December)

18 Dec 2027 · Doha

Fireworks and a parade take place on the Corniche.