The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has reminded expatriates of the need to carry the Residency Permit (RP) card at all times, particularly while leaving and entering Qatar, and produced before the authorities concerned as and when demanded.
The “new RP card is the sole identity proof” of an expatriate resident and his/her valid residency document in the country, the MoI said in a post on its Facebook page yesterday.
If someone loses the card while returning from a trip abroad or does not carry it, s/he will be allowed to enter Qatar with a return visa issued directly at the port of entry without having to resort to the employer, and the RP card will be marked as lost in the immigration system, according to the ministry. This is subject to the condition that the person concerned does not exceed the six-month period for which a resident is allowed to stay outside the country.
If the resident has exceeded the six-month period, s/he will be required to get a return visa processed by the employer/sponsor to enter the country. Otherwise, s/he will be referred to the authorities concerned for violating Residence Law No 4/2009, and legal measures will be taken accordingly, the MoI has said.
“In any case, the person should have a valid passport and the validity of his Residency Permit should not have expired as well,” the post added.
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