Qatar to offer visas on arrival soon to Indians, Chinese, Russians

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, said that people arriving in Qatar from China, India and Russia would be entitled to get tourist visas on arrival in few weeks from now. To facilitate it, Qatar will introduce a new visa system which would make it faster easier for tourists from these three countries to visit this country in Southwest Asia as it goes ahead with plans to attract more foreign tourists. In the first six months of this year, tourist arrivals in Qatar declined by six percent compared to the corresponding period in 2015. But this country on the Arabian Peninsula is chalking out strategies to attract about seven million tourists to the country by 2030. Al Baker made these new announcements on 31 August in Doha during the flagging of a tourist visa system revamp for visitors who are required to purchase their visas before they arrive in Qatar. He added that by early to mid 2017, tourists would be able to apply for their visas online, By early-to-mid next year, they will be able to apply online for their visa, track it and get it within two days, Al Baker said. China, India and Russia would be joining 33 other nations whose citizens will be able to buy their visit visa when they arrive at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, or HIA. The countries which are already eligible for visas on arrival include Australia, Canada, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and a few European and East Asian countries. Al Baker said that Qatar is putting the finishing touches to welcome Indians, Chinese and Russians to get a visa when they arrive at the airport. According to him, the Ministry of Interior was working aggressively on it to initiate the procedure. If you want to tour Qatar, approach Y-Axis at one of its 19 offices located in all the major cities of India.