Qatar Visa for UAE Residents: The Hayya GCC Resident Visa (A2) Explained

The short answer: UAE residents apply for Qatar's GCC Resident Visa (A2) online through Hayya. It costs QAR 100, your passport and UAE residence each need at least three months of validity, and your job no longer limits you: if your title is not in the list, you choose "Others". Emiratis need no visa. Several passports can also enter Qatar visa-free or with a visa on arrival.

Doha is an hour and a quarter from Dubai by air, which makes it one of the easiest weekend breaks from the UAE: the Museum of Islamic Art, Souq Waqif, the National Museum and the beaches up the coast. The visa is quick if you apply through the right category.

Qatar visa for UAE residents at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Visa for UAE residents	GCC Resident Visa (A2), applied for on Hayya
Fee	QAR 100, non-refundable
Passport validity	At least 3 months from arrival
UAE residence validity	At least 3 months
Profession	Any: pick your title, or "Others"
Length of stay	Check your visa: Hayya's FAQ says 30 days, single entry; Qatar announced up to two months with multiple entries from late 2025
Emirati citizens	No visa needed

The GCC Resident Visa (A2)

Qatar issues all its e-visas through Hayya, the platform first built for the 2022 World Cup. For people living in the UAE, the category is the GCC Resident Visa (A2). The requirements Hayya publishes are:

• A passport valid for at least three months from the date you arrive in Qatar
• A UAE (GCC) residence permit valid for at least three months
• A return flight ticket, if you are flying
• The QAR 100 fee, paid online within 14 days of the application reaching "Pending Payment", or it is cancelled

You must travel to Qatar from the country that issued your residence, so the A2 is for a trip that starts in the UAE.

Is there still a profession list?

Not in practice. Qatar used to limit GCC resident visas to approved professions. Today Hayya asks you to choose the job title shown on your residence permit from a list, and to choose "Others" and type it in if yours is not there.

How long can you stay?

Hayya's own FAQ still describes the A2 as a single-entry visa allowing up to 30 days in Qatar. In late 2025 Qatar announced that GCC residents could stay up to two months, with multiple entries. Go by the validity printed on your approved e-visa; if you need more than 30 days, check before you book.

Family members

Each adult applies separately: your spouse applies for their own A2 if they hold UAE residence. Children under 18 can be added to a parent’s application, and Hayya gives each child the category that fits them: an A2 if they hold UAE residence, otherwise a tourist category. Check the fee and documents for each child in the application.

Visa-free entry and visa on arrival

Your passport may make the A2 unnecessary. Citizens of a long list of countries, including the UK, most of Europe and the US, can enter Qatar visa-free or with a free visa on arrival. Hayya also confirms that visa on arrival is still available for GCC residents. If you hold an Indian passport, Hayya's FAQ now says you can book accommodation on any platform or stay with family; the old rule that Indian visitors had to book through Discover Qatar no longer applies to the e-visa.

For a short trip, the A2 is still the least uncertain option: you arrive with an approved visa and nothing to argue about at the desk.

Getting from Dubai to Doha

By air, about an hour and a quarter, with Qatar Airways, flydubai and Emirates flying the route several times a day. By road, you would cross Saudi Arabia, which needs a Saudi visa and insurance valid there; see our Saudi visa guide for UAE residents. For most people the flight is the obvious choice.

Frequently asked questions

Do UAE residents need a visa for Qatar?

Yes, unless their passport is visa-free for Qatar or they are GCC citizens. Most UAE residents apply online for the GCC Resident Visa (A2) through Hayya.

How much is the Qatar visa for UAE residents?

QAR 100 for the GCC Resident Visa (A2), paid online and not refundable.

How long does the Qatar A2 visa take?

Many applications are approved within a few days. Apply at least a week before you fly, and pay within 14 days of the payment request or the application is cancelled.

Is my profession eligible for the Qatar GCC resident visa?

Choose the job title on your residence permit from Hayya's list, or "Others" if it is not there. The old approved-profession list no longer stops UAE residents from applying.

Can Indian residents of Dubai visit Qatar?

Yes. An Indian national with UAE residence valid for three months can apply for the A2. Hayya now lets Indian applicants book accommodation on any platform, not only Discover Qatar.

Can I drive from Dubai to Qatar?

Yes, through Saudi Arabia, which means you also need a Saudi visa and car insurance valid in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Flying takes about an hour and a quarter.

Planning a trip to Qatar

Doha works as a long weekend or as a stopover on the way somewhere else. See Qatar visa services for help with the A2 or a family application, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Saudi visa for UAE residents
• Oman visa for UAE residents
• What your UAE residence unlocks
• Flight times from Dubai

Last checked 8 October 2026 against Hayya's FAQ and recent UAE reporting. Qatar's visa categories, fees and stay limits change; this guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current rules on Hayya before you apply.