Bring your family to Qatar

You can sponsor your spouse and children once you hold your own residence permit. Most delays come from documents that are not attested properly, so start the attestation early — ideally before you leave home.

Before you start

• Your valid QID, with a technical or specialised (non-labour) profession
• Employment contract showing salary (private sector) or company card (government, QFC, free zones)
• Spouse and children’s passports
• Attested marriage certificate
• Attested birth certificates (not needed for children born in Qatar)
• Passport photos, 30 × 40 mm, taken in the last 12 months
• Declaration of non-marriage for unmarried daughters over 18

Step by step

1. Check you are eligible

   You generally need a salary of QAR 10,000, or QAR 6,000 plus family accommodation provided by your employer. Your QID profession must be technical or specialised. Rules can differ by nationality and can change, so confirm on Metrash before paying for attestation.

2. Attest your documents

   Attest marriage and birth certificates at the Qatar embassy in your home country (or your embassy in Qatar), then at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha. Get certified translations for anything not in Arabic or English.

3. Apply on Metrash

   Go to Visa → Request Application → Family Resident Visa. Upload documents as JPG files (each under 500 KB). Each family member — including babies — needs their own application.

4. Family enters Qatar

   The entry visa is usually valid for a few months from issue. After they arrive, the 30-day clock starts for medical and fingerprints.

5. Medical and fingerprints

   Adults do the Medical Commission exam and fingerprints. Children under 15 are usually exempt from both.

6. Apply for their QIDs

   Apply through Metrash or an MOI service centre. Then add health cards and school places.

   Read guide: Get your health card →

What it costs

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

• Uploading PDFs or large files — Metrash expects JPGs under 500 KB.
• Starting attestation after arriving in Qatar — it is usually faster at home.
• Assuming sons over 25 or married daughters can be sponsored. They generally cannot.
• Forgetting that children aged 6–18 need a place at a licensed school.

Official sources

• Ministry of Interior e-services (MOI portal) ↗
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs – document attestation ↗
• Hukoomi – Qatar government services portal ↗

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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