The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has launched new services at its Qatar Visa Centres (QVC), currently operational in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

"Medical services for temporary work visas, medical test services for multiple entry work visit visas and vision test services for driving license applicants are available now," Major Nasser Ali al-Khalaf, director of the Visa Support Services (VSS) Department, said.

He was addressing on Wednesday an introductory seminar on new QVC services at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Passports at Wadi Al Banat.

"The procedures at QVC enable job seekers to complete the most important part of the visa process while they are in their country. These are in addition to reducing effort and time for them and facilitating the issuance of residency upon their entry into the country.

At QVC, people wishing to work in Qatar must register their biometric data, sign employment contracts and undergo medical examinations,” al-Khalaf said.

Under the temporary work visa, the applicant is given a single entry and can stay up to 12 months based on the duration of the contract. The multiple entry work visit visas provide multiple entries with a stay period of up to 12 months based on the duration of the contract.

“In the context of QVCs’ operation, coordination has been established with relevant authorities (General Directorate of Traffic, Information Systems Department, and service providers) to electronically link external vision testing centres with the General Directorate of Traffic and driving schools and institutes.

"This facilitates the transmission of vision test data conducted for license applicants at QVCs to the systems of the General Directorate of Traffic, driving schools, and institutes. So, applicants (for the post of drivers) do not need to undergo vision tests again in Qatar,” the MoI official explained.

New QVCs in three countries planned

Efforts are underway to establish new Qatar Visa Centres (QVCs) in Kenya, Indonesia and Tunisia in coordination with the authorities concerned, Maj Nasser Ali al-Khalaf, director of the Visa Support Services (VSS) Department, said.

QVCs are currently operational in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi); Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi); Bangladesh (Dhaka, Sylhet); Nepal (Kathmandu); Philippines (Manila); and Sri Lanka (Colombo).

Currently, applicants are able to avail of services such as attestation, contract signing, biometric enrollment and medical checkup at QVCs. Apart from English and Arabic, QVCs provide applicants with services in local languages.