A few months back, Qatar made a revolutionary decision to open visa centres in different locations outside the country to facilitate and streamline visa procedures for expatriates.

The first of these visa centres were opened in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in October. And now, overseas Qatar Visa Centres (QVCs) are set to be opened in Bangladesh and Pakistan, reported Gulf Times.

The Ministry of Interior, in a Facebook post, said while the QVC in Bangladesh will be opened today, the one in Pakistan will begin functioning starting December 19.

In this regard, the MoI’s Visa Support Services Department held a seminar for members of the Bangladeshi community and companies that employ a large number of Bangladeshi workers. 

The seminar was led by Major Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhannadi, Director of Visa Support Services Department, according to The Peninsula.

Two QVCs are being planned for Pakistan, the first in Islamabad and the other in Karachi.

QVCs are expected to help simplify visa procedures for expatriate workers. Following this procedure, employers will be able to issue Qatar ID cards for employees on the day of his or her arrival in Qatar.

The centre will help facilitate completion of all work visa requirements from the home country of the expatriate worker, including medical tests, biometric data processing and signing of the employment contract.

This will prevent workers from being cheated by their employers in any way. The new system will enable expatriates to start work immediately after entering Qatar.