Guides / Visas & residency / Long-term residency
Permanent residency in Qatar: who qualifies and how to apply
Qatar's permanent residence card (Law No. 10 of 2018) lets a small number of long-term residents and relatives of Qataris live in Qatar without a sponsor, with access to government health care and education. Here is who qualifies, what it costs and how to apply through the Ministry of Interior.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who decides
- MOI Permanent Residence Card Granting Committee; final decision by the Minister of Interior
- Standard rule
- 20 years' legal residence (10 if born in Qatar) + income, good conduct, Arabic
- Annual cap
- 100 new cards a year (the Amir can raise it)
- Cost
- Reported QAR 3,000 application fee + QAR 3,000 on card issue
Qatar's permanent residence card was created by Law No. 10 of 2018. It is the closest thing Qatar has to a 'green card': holders can live in Qatar without an employer or family sponsor, leave and return freely, and use government hospitals and schools on terms set by the Council of Ministers. It is not citizenship, and it is not easy to get: the law caps new cards at 100 a year, and most ordinary expats only qualify after 20 years of continuous legal residence (10 years if born in Qatar), plus income, good conduct and Arabic. Some groups, such as children of Qatari mothers and spouses of Qataris, are exempt from those conditions. The order is simple: check your eligibility for free on the Ministry of Interior (MOI) website, apply online, wait for an SMS asking for documents and the fee, then collect your card if approved. If you are mainly looking for a sponsor-free residence through buying property or investing, that is a different route, explained in our property residency guide.
Before you start
- A valid Qatar ID (QID) and its expiry date: the free eligibility check asks for both
- A valid passport (at least 6 months left is safest) and a recent passport photo
- Your MOI e-services login, so you can apply online and follow the request
- Proof of how long you have lived in Qatar legally, without long gaps (old residence permits, entry/exit history)
- Proof of steady income that covers you and your family: salary certificate, recent bank statements, or business/commercial registration papers
- Evidence of a clean record: a Qatar police clearance (Good Conduct Certificate) and, if asked, one from your home country
- If applying as a relative of a Qatari: Qatari mother's or spouse's ID, marriage certificate and birth certificates
- If applying for special skills or services to the state: letters, awards or official documents that show this
- A bank card for paying fees online, and a Qatari mobile number registered to your QID (MOI contacts applicants by SMS)
Step by step
Understand what the card is (and is not)
The permanent residence card lets you live in Qatar without a sponsor and leave and re-enter without permission while it is valid. Holders are treated like Qataris in government hospitals and schools, under conditions set by a Council of Ministers decision. When the law was announced, holders were also given priority after Qataris for public civil and military jobs, the right to own property and to run some businesses without a Qatari partner. It does not give you a Qatari passport or citizenship. Because only around 100 cards are issued a year, think of it as a long-term goal rather than a standard visa.
Check which category you fall into
There are two broad groups. The general route is for any non-Qatari who has lived legally in Qatar for 20 years (or 10 years if born in Qatar), has enough lawful income for themselves and their dependants, has good conduct with no final conviction for a dishonourable crime, and knows Arabic well. The second group is exempt from those conditions: children of a Qatari woman married to a non-Qatari, non-Qatari husbands and wives of Qataris, children of naturalised Qataris, people who have given great services to the state, and people with special skills the state needs. Knowing your category matters because the online system lets you apply under a category, and documents differ for each.
Count your years of residence carefully
The years must be legal residence and continuous, completed before you apply. According to The Peninsula's reporting of the law, time spent outside Qatar is deducted, and long absences in a single year can break continuity. Leaving Qatar for more than six months in a row after you apply can also count against you. Gather your old QIDs or residence history and your travel record so you know your real total before applying.
Run the free eligibility inquiry
On the MOI website (portal.moi.gov.qa) there is a free 'Permanent Residency Eligibility Inquiry' service under the residency permit inquiries. You enter your 11-digit QID number, its expiry date and the verification code. The result tells you whether the system finds you eligible and, if so, under which category, with a link to apply. If it says you are not eligible, do not pay anyone to 'push' an application; the committee follows the law's categories.
Submit the application online
Log in to MOI e-services and open the permanent residency request. Choose your category and, where the form allows, select the family members to include. Check that names and QID numbers are correct before submitting. Applications are electronic; there is no need to queue at a service centre at this stage.
Wait for the SMS, then pay and upload documents
MOI first checks whether you meet the requirements. If you do, it contacts you by SMS asking you to submit your documents. The application fee is paid at this point online by bank card; Gulf Times reported it as QAR 3,000 when the service opened, so confirm the current amount on the payment screen. Then upload clear scans: passport, photo, QID, income proof, good conduct certificate and category documents (for example, your Qatari mother's ID and your birth certificate). Keep the payment receipt.
Read guide: Police clearance certificate (good conduct) in Qatar →Let the committee review your file
Your file goes to the Permanent Residence Card Granting Committee at the Ministry of Interior. Legal staff check the conditions, the committee makes a recommendation, and the Minister of Interior issues the decision. MOI has not published an official processing time, and because of the 100-a-year cap there can be a long wait. Track the request with the follow-up option in MOI e-services and keep your normal residence permit valid while you wait.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Keep your current status valid meanwhile
Applying does not replace your existing residence permit. Renew your QID on time, keep your employer or family sponsor's file in order, and pay any traffic fines or debts. An expired QID, an open case or a travel ban can delay or block the decision.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Collect your card and pay the issue fee
If you are approved, MOI contacts you to complete the procedure and collect the card from a service centre. A second fee is paid when the card is issued; it was reported as QAR 3,000. Bring your passport, current QID and the payment receipt. Check every detail on the card before you leave.
Read guide: Get your Qatar ID (residence permit) →Add your spouse and children
The law lets the holder's spouse and children under 18 share the residence, health and education privileges. The Minister of Interior may extend this to sons who are still at university up to age 25 and to unmarried daughters. Ask MOI how to register them on your card if they were not included in the original request.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →Register for health care and school places
With your card, ask your local PHCC health centre and Hamad Medical Corporation to update your file, and contact the Ministry of Education and Higher Education about government school places for your children. The exact terms come from a Council of Ministers decision, so ask each body what applies to permanent residents before assuming services are free.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →Protect the card once you have it
The Minister of Interior can cancel the card and withdraw it if you stop meeting the law's conditions or if public interest requires it. Keep a clean record, keep your income lawful, and keep the card valid. If you plan a very long period abroad, check with MOI first how it affects your status.
What it costs
| Eligibility inquiry on the MOI website | Free |
| Application fee (paid after MOI confirms you qualify; reported figure) | QAR 3,000 |
| Card issue fee on collection (reported figure) | QAR 3,000 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Confusing permanent residency with the property or investor residence permit. They are different routes with different rules; buying property does not by itself give you the Law 10 card.
- Counting years you were not legally resident, or ignoring long trips abroad. Time abroad is deducted and long absences can break continuity.
- Letting your normal QID expire while waiting. The application does not protect you from overstay rules.
- Paying agents who promise a 'guaranteed' PR card. Only the MOI committee and the Minister decide, and the yearly cap is small.
- Uploading blurry scans or untranslated foreign documents. Foreign certificates usually need attestation and an Arabic translation.
- Assuming everything becomes free. Health and education access follow a Cabinet decision with its own conditions.
- Ignoring a travel ban, unpaid fines or an open court case before applying.
Questions people ask
Can I get permanent residency after 5 or 10 years of working in Qatar?
Not under the general route. The law requires 20 years of continuous legal residence for people born outside Qatar, or 10 years for those born in Qatar, plus the income, conduct and Arabic conditions. Articles claiming a 5-year rule are not based on the law. Shorter routes exist only for the exempt categories, such as children of Qatari mothers or spouses of Qataris.
My mother is Qatari but my father is not. Do I qualify?
Yes, children of a Qatari woman married to a non-Qatari are one of the categories named in the law and are exempt from the 20-year residence rule and the other general conditions. You still need to apply, provide proof of your mother's nationality and your birth details, and be approved by the committee within the yearly cap.
Is permanent residency the same as Qatari citizenship?
No. You keep your own nationality and passport. The card gives you sponsor-free residence and certain privileges, but not a Qatari passport or the political rights of citizens. Naturalisation is a separate law and process.
Can I buy property to get permanent residency?
Buying property leads to a different residence permit, set out under the real estate ownership rules, not the Law No. 10 card. Reports describe a residence permit linked to property above a minimum value, and extra benefits such as health and education at a higher value (commonly cited as around QAR 3.65 million, about USD 1 million). See our property residency guide and confirm thresholds with the Real Estate Registration Department.
How much income do I need?
The law says your income must be lawful and enough for you and your dependants, with the minimum to be set by the Council of Ministers. The Peninsula's guide cites benchmarks of QAR 20,000 basic salary for government employees and QAR 30,000 total salary in the private sector, but MOI does not show these on its public page, so treat them as a guide and confirm during your application.
Do I need to speak Arabic?
For the general 20-year route, yes: the law asks for sufficient knowledge of Arabic. The exempt categories, such as relatives of Qataris and people with special skills, are not bound by the general conditions. MOI has not published a formal language test, so expect your Arabic to be considered as part of the review.
How long does it take to get a decision?
MOI does not publish an official processing time. Because only about 100 cards are granted each year, many applicants wait months or longer. Follow your request in MOI e-services and keep your regular QID valid until a decision is issued.
Can my family get permanent residency through me?
Yes. The law extends the residence, health and education privileges to the holder's spouse and children under 18, and the Minister may extend this to sons at university up to age 25 and unmarried daughters. Each family member's details are handled by MOI as part of, or after, your approval.
Official sources
- MOI: Permanent Residence Card Granting Committee ↗
- Al Meezan: Qatar legal portal (Law No. 10 of 2018) ↗
- Gulf Times: MoI highlights terms for permanent residency (fees, process) ↗
- The Peninsula: New law allows permanent residency for expats ↗
- The Peninsula: How to become a permanent resident in Qatar ↗
- Qatar Tribune: Eligibility check via MoI link ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.