Qatar now requires mandatory local health insurance for entry (effective Feb 1, 2023)

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Effective today, February 1, 2023, all foreign arrivals seeking to enter Qatar must have valid health insurance which covers treatment in the country in the event of illness.

The requirement includes travelers entering Qatar on a visa, visa on arrival or nationals entering the country under the Visa Waiver Program (cost).

Importantly, this will also affect customers who have booked a brief layover while traveling via Hamad International Airport in Doha with Qatar Airways.

Visit Qatar official website says that from today (February 1) all visitors must have a recognized insurance plan which can be purchased in advance or on arrival at the price of 50 Qatari riyals [US$14].

Here are the accepted insurers:

The only international insurance companies accepted (listed) also seem to be from the Gulf region. Overseas visitors will apparently not have their insurance policies accepted.

Doha News develops that visitors can hold their own international health insurance as long as Qatar is included in the cover, but based on the above, this could only be for regional visitors:

Visitors to Qatar are required to have a health insurance policy, authorities have confirmed, with the first phase of the requirement rolling out from February 1.

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced that visitors must be covered by the required health insurance scheme when entering the country and noted that a health insurance policy can be taken out by health providers. health insurance registered by the MoPH.

The insurance plan for tourists, according to the ministry, only covers emergency and accident services and has a monthly cost of QAR 50 both at the time of first issuance and when the visa is extended. …

Visitors must have health insurance when applying for a Qatar visitor visa as it is considered a requirement. The same process applies when extending the visitor visa.

Travelers who have international health insurance must have a policy that covers Qatar, is valid during their trip and has been issued by one of Qatar’s recognized insurers, authorities said.

There seems to be a discrepancy between what Doha News reports and what is explained on the official website Visit Qatar website. This raises the question of whether international visitors can indeed use their own health insurance issued by companies such as Allianz, Aetna et al. as reported.

I contacted the Qatar Ministry of Health to ask for clarification on this, as I’m sure many visitors (if not most) are also confused about this new rule.

Here is their website and how they describe the new requirement:

Travelers entering the State of Qatar are required to purchase health insurance from any insurance company registered with the Ministry of Public Health. You can get your health insurance when you arrive in Qatar, but we strongly advise you to take out health insurance before you travel.

The compulsory health insurance policy for visitors will cost QAR 50 per month and must cover emergency and accident services.

How to get health insurance for visitors?​

  1. Visitors who apply for a visit visa through the website of the Ministry of Interior (Qatari visas), or through the Metrash app, will be directed to the Ministry of Public Health website where they can select one of insurance companies registered with the Ministry to Purchase Visitor Policy after meeting all other relevant visa requirements.
  2. After the insurance policy is issued by the selected insurance company, the Ministry of Interior will issue the appropriate visit visa.

  3. The effective date of coverage is the date the visitor enters any border.

  4. If the visitor wishes to extend his stay in the State of Qatar, he must take out a new health insurance policy.

Visitors eligible for visas on arrival at border crossings in the State of Qatar:

In order to ensure the prompt completion of your procedures upon arrival at the various border crossings (airport, land and sea), please purchase a visitor’s insurance policy before arriving at these ports from the MOPH link provided below. above, and follow the same procedures mentioned.

Health insurance premium?

  • The premium for the compulsory health insurance policy for visitors is QAR 50 per month.
  • The visitor can take out additional cover (Top-ups) as he wishes for additional premiums to be determined by the insurance companies.

What is covered by the policy?

​Emergency medical treatment: Up to QAR 150,000 for the period of insurance and in the State of Qatar. Emergency medical assistance with a sub-limit of QAR 35,000 includes:• Emergency ambulance transport within the State of Qatar, and if necessary.• Medical evacuation to the country of residence of the individual.COVID-19 and Quarantine:a) Sub-limit higher than 50,000 QAR. b) Covid-19 treatment for positive cases. c) Quarantine fee (for confirmed cases) can be up to QAR 300 per day. No waiting period is required under this document. Repatriation: In the event of the visitor’s death in the State of Qatar, repatriation costs are covered up to an amount of QAR 10,000. Politics.

Most travelers will already have an insurance plan since their final destination requires it, taking out a month’s cover for a 1-2 day stay while using Qatar Airways layover seems overkill and impractical.

Conclusion

Qatar has made it compulsory to take out local health insurance to enter the country. The premium for this coverage is 50 Qatari Riyals or $14. This comes just weeks after the end of the World Cup and suddenly Qatar is back on the screws when it comes to international travel.

On a positive note, they no longer require pre-registration and application. I have no problem with a foreign country requiring insurance, but I accept at least existing insurance coverage.

Most responsible travelers have an annual plan, private coverage that includes international travel, or credit card policies. It’s just a cash grab. Do they really need the $14? Who stays a full month in Qatar? Most visitors are only there for a very short period of only a few days.



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