Work Visa Processing Time

Hi Aussie82, welcome on Expat-blog!

This article may help you : Work visas in Qatar.

I wish you good luck.
Christine

Thanks so much Christine. It was a very informative article. But my query still remains that how long does it usually take for the employer (a big multi-national organisation in my case) to get me the entry work visa. Is it usually like 1 to 2 weeks for Australian passport-holders or citizens of western countries? Would you have a good guess? Cheers.

Hi Aussie82, I'm in a similar situation as you were sometime ago. I live in Melbourne and have a job offer from a multinational company in Qatar. I've just returned from a 'look see' trip to Qatar and I like it. I've been advised by HR of my employer in Qatar that I need to get my education transcripts and my marriage certificate from Australian department of foreign affairs as well as Qatari embassy in Australia. Would you like to share your experience in this regard. I am particularly interested to know:
1. Contact information for DFAT for the purpose of document endorsement
2. Who will endorse the documents in lieu of Qatari embassy?

I'll really appreciate your prompt response as I am supposed to be in Doha mid March.

Cheers, Hamid

Hi Hamid,

Congratulations on your job offer! Hope you and your family will enjoy Qatar and have fabulous time here.

I and my wife are already here in Doha. We came almost 3 weeks back.

Regarding answering your questions:

1. Contact information for DFAT for the purpose of document endorsement

Ans: For document endorsement, I was asked to submit certified copies of marriage certificate (English translation as my original marriage certificate was in different language), university degrees & transcripts and work experience letters, along with copies of passports of me and my wife. Just to make visa processing faster and smoother, I submitted certified copies of my wife's educational degrees & transcripts too, although it was not a requirement. If you have kids, I am not sure if there are any additional documents required (although I doubt it). I got all those certified at a nearby local police station. My company's Australia office handled those documents from then onwards.

If you need to do the whole process yourself, you need to send the above-mentioned certified documents to UAE embassy in Australia (I think they are in Canberra), and ask them to authenticate these documents. The rule is that since there is no Qatar embassy in Australia, embassy of the nearest country works which is UAE. This is a quick process and they return all the documents after authentication in around 4-5 working days at most. After this you send them to your employer in Qatar who will submit it to immigration department in Qatar and the immigration department or your company's HR manager will email you the visa for you and your whole family. Print this visa letter and carry with you along your passport on your travel. At Doha airport, they'll stamp your passport after seeing your visa letter. It didnt happen in my case, but my company's HR manager told me to keep original documents, which I submitted for getting visa approved, in my carry-on bag in case they ask for it.

2. Who will endorse the documents in lieu of Qatari embassy?

Ans: See above question

Hope I have answered your queries by now. Let me know if you need more help.

Cheers

Hi Aussie82, Many Thanks for your detailed reply. It is indeed very helpful. Just to clarify few more pints:
1. Did you get the original degree and the transcripts certified or photocopies of those?
2. Were the degree/transcripts from an Australian university? I want to confirm if DFAT/police do certify degrees obtained overseas.
3. I understand that after getting these documents (i.e. university degree, academic transcripts and marriage certificate) endorsed by Australia Police, you sent those to U.A.E embassy in Canberra for further authentcation. Is my understanding correct?
4. Did you need to get your or wife's birth certificate authenticated in addition to the documents mentioned in point 3?

Please pardon my silly questions but I want to be absolutely sure that I do not miss anything that may cause delay in RP later.

Once again Thanks for your kind help.

Best Regards,

Hamid

Reply to your answers:

1. Did you get the original degree and the transcripts certified or photocopies of those?

Ans: I got photocopies certified only and not the originals

2. Were the degree/transcripts from an Australian university? I want to confirm if DFAT/police do certify degrees obtained overseas.

Ans: I have degrees from Australian as well as overseas university. Police can certify the photocopies.

3. I understand that after getting these documents (i.e. university degree, academic transcripts and marriage certificate) endorsed by Australia Police, you sent those to U.A.E embassy in Canberra for further authentcation. Is my understanding correct?

Ans: Yes

4. Did you need to get your or wife's birth certificate authenticated in addition to the documents mentioned in point 3?

Ans: No

Hope it helps.

Hi Aussie82,

I need some help in regards to work visa processing of Qatar as well. I am about to accept the offer in Qatar and currently living in Dubai on a visit visa. I am not sure what sort of documents will my future employer in Qatar going to ask me, but when i was leaving Australia to search for a job in Middleeast i got my Masters degree and transcripts certified (Originals + photocopy) by Notary Public + DFAT + UAE embassy in Canberra. 

As far as my previous employment experience letters are concerned i didnt get them notraized or certified till now.

In addition i read from one of the forums of Qatar that employers in Qatar may ask for police clearence certificate as well.

The help which i need from you as well is did you came across to any Australian police clearence certificate requirement asked by your employer in Qatar, and do you think i will get any other document notarized apart from my Masters degree + Transcripts which i already did. Secondly how much did your whole visa process took since you accept the offer.

Your help is much appreciated
Thanks for your help in advance
Take care of yourself
Kind Regards,
Juss

Hi Guys,

My questions is whether UAE embassy in Australia can authenticate the australian documents on behalf of Qatar embassy?

My HR department have told me that all australian documents need to go to jakarta as the only qatari embassy in the region is in Jakarta.

Appreciate any guidence on the above.

Regards,

Hi Guys,

I got an offer from Doha Qatar and I just want to ask help about regarding visa processing.

The employer to be asked me for the scan copy of my passport and education certificate attested by Qatar Embassy.

It is okay that they need only scan copy of my education certificate to process my work visa. Because in UAE they instructed me to give them the original attested copies of my education certificate.

they said that it is normally 3-4 weeks before the visa to be processed.

hope some can help me about this.

(Moderated: You are off topic. Stop doing copy/paste on the forum please)

I'm Lebanese, my work visa was issued in exactly 1 month.

I would like to work and live in Qatar anybody who have the link should please help me out..

Hello,

I am a Nigeria, I was a banker and presently I am a General Manager in one of the leading private security company in Nigeria I have been trying to get job in Qatar but no success please would can get me information on how to get job and move down to Qatar Thanks

hi my name is omos am a nice black nigeria a hard working man and am an enginer am good in welding i want to work in qatar pls i want to work call me +2347067386110 i need your help

Hi Guys the visa issue - it can vary widely depending on the time of year you apply and how big your company is - where I work (a very big company) it takes between 2-3 months (dont plan any holidays overseas as you wont have your passport - although saying that it can usually be pulled out of queue if its not too far along) the accompanying spouse may be done around the same time or a month later depending on the company (x kiwis) when we first arrived 2002 my husband and mine were done at the same time and then after leaving and returning my new company did mine first (Sept to DEC!) then his was a month or so after.
Ree

[Moderated: No free ad on the forum]

Hello Mrs,
l will very grateful if you can help and assist me with Qatar Visa Processing .
Looking forward for yor reply soonest.
Thanks,
From Gbekeloluwa llesanmi

I will be grateful if someone can help me to get a working Visa to Qatar,That will be so happy go ahead with my sponsor. please advice me the mix of working in qatar. get back to me asap
Thanks,
From Iyke Henry

Hello Henry -> This article could help : Work visas in Qatar.

Thank you,
Aurélie

Hi can anybody tell me visa processing time I was hired by a telecom company in qatar and my visa process started a month ago but still no reply
I am really worried

I m also waiting my visa on qatar from last 2 month .i dont know what is that .some one saying indian visa Geting delay i m really worried .some one know how long it will taking

Did you get your visa ..are you starting to work .best off luck