Job Discussion Forums

[desert_traveller]

Hi,

You can enter Qatar at the Saudi-Qatari land border at Salwa if you hold a Saudi iqama and your job is in one of the certain categories etc.

My question is, allegedly they require that your iqama is valid for at least 6 months.

(1) How can they verify this now that it is only the expiry date of the iqama card that is printed on the card itself, and do they bother to verify this at all?

(2) Has anybody ever had trouble or been turned back by Qatari immigration AT THE LAND BORDER AT SALWA because of this "at least 6 months left" clause?

Any information is much appreciated.

Thanks,

DT

[nomad soul]

Your Saudi exit/reentry visa would indicate your residency info.

[I-forgot]

The immigration system is computerized. The information will be on the screen.

No idea about your second question,

[desert_traveller]

[desert_traveller]

[I-forgot]

[quote="desert_traveller"][quote="I-forgot"]The immigration system is computerized. The information will be on the screen.

No idea about your second question,[/quote]

I am not sure Qatari immigration has access to the data on the Saudi immigration system, but as said above, they can verify the expiry date in a number of ways anyway.

The real question is, is this something they take seriously?

Your iqama only ever gets extended by one single year, so if they take the 6 months left seriously, that limits your ability to cross the border to the first 6 months of your current iqama.[/quote]

In order to enter Qatar, you must first exit Saudi. The Saudi immigration officials may be the ones to block your exit or block your reentry.

And it may also just depend on who is staffing the post and his mood at the time.

No way to know without trying.

[scot47]

When working at Hafr Al Batin, I used the Saudi-Kuwait border crossing on the Hafr-Kuwait road. It was pretty clear that the Kuwaiti officials were miscreants who had been sent there as a punishment. Their sole aim in life seemed to be to make life unpleasant for foreigners crossing the border.

[desert_traveller]

[Dr X]

desert_traveller wrote:

nomad soul wrote: Your Saudi exit/reentry visa would indicate your residency info. That's correct, but you are not required to carry the printout with you anymore, and I for one actually never do. But true, they can also verify your iqama expiry date on the internet, if they really want to. What I am really interested in is if they really want to, and if they do, and if they actually turn people back because they have less than 6 months remaining?

Magic Kingdom Condition:
Iqama validity should be equal or greater than (Visa duration + 90 days).
http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/how-to-apply-for-exit-re-entry-visa.html#.V-JHg3LbJPY

Qatari Condition:
Validity of your Iqama (residence) and passport should be at least 6 months. Iqama holder must have exit re-entry visa with him.
http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/on-arrival-visit-visa-of-qatar-for.html#.V-JGY3LbJPY

You Exit re-entry visa contains:
Visa number
Passport Number
Iqama Number
Iqama Expiry date (here the Qatari border officer may challenge you if it is less than 6 months?)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf-wU_rpJ7E/Ve8k5Wauz1I/AAAAAAAAHxg/vBMrrajlDs8/s1600/SINGLE%2BEXIT%2BRE%2BENTRY%2BVISA%2BIN%2BKSA.jpg

[bigdurian]