Update: Visitors who are eligible for a visitor visa on arrival (including Australians) and no more than 30 days in Qatar are now exempt from the travel insurance requirement.

The Qatari government has introduced a new requirement for international visitors to purchase travel insurance from an approved provider. It appears that Australian travel insurance policies do not qualify.

About the new policy

Since 1 February 2023, an approved travel insurance policy is a visa requirement for entry into Qatar. This applies to travellers who need to apply for a visa in advance, as well as those (including Australian citizens) who are able to obtain a visa on arrival. It includes passengers just stopping over in Doha for a few days, but does not apply to passengers merely transiting through Doha without leaving the airport.

It is not uncommon for countries to make travel insurance a visa requirement. What’s unusual about the new Qatar rule is that this insurance must be purchased from a list of specific insurance providers that are all based in Qatar or the Gulf region.

This means that Australian and most other international travel insurance policies would not satisfy this visa requirement, even if they provide comprehensive coverage for travel to Qatar. The only international insurance policies accepted are those sold by eight specific insurers based in the Middle East.

It is possible to purchase the mandatory travel insurance on arrival in Qatar if applying for a visa on arrival. However, the Qatari government strongly advises purchasing this in advance. (It’s also worth noting that TIMATIC now lists the travel insurance requirement but does not specifically mention that this can be obtained on arrival, so there is a possibility that some airlines could erroneously deny boarding to passengers who don’t have this.)

This requirement does not apply to military personnel, air crew or passengers with visas issued before 29 January 2023.

How much does Qatar travel insurance cost?

The Qatar Tourism website lists 10 Qatari insurance companies which provide travel insurance that meets the government’s new entry requirement.

These providers all offer 30 days of coverage for emergency medical treatment, COVID-19 (including quarantine costs if you test positive) and repatriation costs at a cost of QAR50 (approximately AU$20).

If you are applying for a standard 30-day visa for Qatar, you’ll need to have coverage for the full 30 days (even if you’re just staying for 1 or 2 days, as many people do when stopping over between Qatar Airways flights). If you extend your visit visa for a further 30 days, you’ll need to buy a second policy.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.