Law No (4 ) of 2009 on expatriates entry, exit, residence and sponsorship regulations Thursday, 27 May 2010 06:08

We, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Deputy Emir of Qatar, Have decided the following law:

Part 1

Definitions

Article (1)

To enforce the provisions of this law, the following words and phrases should have the attached meaning thereto, unless the context requires another meaning:

•    Ministry: Ministry of Interior

•    Minister: Minister of Interior

•    Competent Authority: Department competent of the enforcement of this law to be nominated by the Minister.

•    Expatriate: every non -Qatari body who enters the country.

•    Imprint: Permit to enter the country.

•    Entry and Exist Seal: seal proving the entry and exist of the expatriate through the fixed ports according to this law.

•    Residence: permit allowing the expatriate to stay in the country according to the conditions and terms fixed in this law and its implementing regulation and resolutions.

•    Residence sponsor: employer, head of the family, or the person who is in charge of the visitor sponsorship. The sponsor is in charge of granting the sponsored person an exist visa.

•    Exit Sponsor: the person who should fulfill all the commitments related to the sponsored people which are not fulfilled before his departure. He is free of fulfilling these commitments after the expatriate return to his country.

•    Departure: expatriate exit from the country after meeting the entry purpose or residence licensing.

•    Deportation: order to the expatriate to emerge from the country in case of deportation order is issued.

•    Deportation Order: order of the expatriate, who illegally entered the country, to emerge.

•    Travel Document: a document replacing the passport issued by competent authorities in the country of the passport holder or any other recognized authority.

Part (2)

Expatriates Entry and Exist

Article (2)

Expatriate is not allowed to enter or exit the country unless he holds a passport or valid travel document, or a permit from the competent authority illustrating the entry purpose.

Article (3)

Expatriate is not allowed to enter or exit the country except from the entry and exit ports fixed by the minister. The passport and travel document must be sealed by entry and exist stamp or by other means fixed by the Minister.

Article (4)

Expatriate who stayed before in the country for work purposes is not allowed to have entry permit for work purpose except after 2 years from his departure.

The Minister or Deputy may exempt the expatriate from abiding by these 2 years term. Competent authorities may exclude certain cases according to written approval from the ex-sponsor.

Article (5)

The sponsor and the expatriate should refer to the competent authority during 7 days from the expatriate entry into the country to accomplish residence licensing work visa procedures.

The competent authority may permit other persons to accomplish the mentioned above measures on behalf of the sponsor or the expatriate.

Article (6)

Expatriate should submit, during his stay in the country, his passport or travel document to the competent authorities, whenever is requested to do so. He should also provide any required information in the fixed time.

In case his passport or travel document is lost or damaged, expatriate should immediately notify the competent authorities to receive new ones in exchange.

Article (7)

All ships ,planes, vehicles, and other transport means captains and masters should, immediately after their arrival to or departure out of the country, submit to the competent authorities, a list containing names and information of passengers. They should not transport those who don’t hold passports, travel documents or entry permits, and in case of any, they should ban their departure and notify the competent authorities.

In all cases, the infringer carrier should bring passengers not holder of passports, travel documents or entry permits to their countries of origin.

Article (8)

Hotels managers, the like and on behalf should submit to the competent authorities information on the peoples authorized to enter the country by their way, and host them in the allowed places according to their permits, unless it is deemed unnecessary.

In case the authorized passengers are absent from their residence for more than 48 hours without notifying the management, hotels managers should notify the competent authorities in a period not exceeding 24 hours and incur all sponsored people’s obligations.

In all cases, whoever hosts an expatriate should notify during 24 hours of his arrival, the security authority in the premises of the hotel or the place of hosting, on his name and address.