Qatar Government Fees for New Residents 2026

Just moved to Doha, sponsoring family or bringing in a new employee? Qatar's residence process involves several separate government charges rather than one single “residency fee.”

For a standard company-sponsored worker, the Ministry of Interior currently lists an annual QAR 1,000 residence-permit fee, while the Ministry of Labour lists a QAR 100 annual work-permit fee. MOI also lists QAR 100 for the QID card, and the residence medical examination costs QAR 100 when required.

Here's a clearer breakdown of the main Qatar residence permit, QID, family visa and permanent residency fees in 2026, and which charges apply to different residency categories.

What every new resident should know first

A Qatar residence permit allows an expatriate to legally reside in the country, while the Qatar ID (QID) is the physical identification card residents use for government and everyday services.

The total cost depends on the residency route.

A company-sponsored employee, family dependant, domestic worker and person under another form of personal sponsorship do not necessarily pay the same residence-permit fee.

For employees, the sponsoring employer normally handles the residence and work-authorisation process.

Qatar's Ministry of Interior now provides hundreds of digital services through the Metrash app and its online services. The old Metrash2 app was discontinued on 1 March 2025.

Residence permit fees in Qatar in 2026

Company-sponsored employees

For a worker sponsored by a company, MOI currently publishes the following charges:

• Residence permit: QAR 1,000 annually
• Work permit: QAR 100 annually
• QID card: QAR 100 for the residence-validity period

The Ministry of Labour separately confirms the QAR 100 annual work-permit fee for workers sponsored by companies, associations, private institutions and individuals.

So don't describe the standard employee RP itself as QAR 3,500 or QAR 4,500.

Other costs may apply depending on the immigration route, such as:

• Entry visa
• Medical examination
• Document attestation
• Qatar Post delivery
• Additional immigration or employer-processing requirements

Personal sponsorship

MOI's first-time residence service lists:

• Residence permit: QAR 300 annually
• Applicable work permit: QAR 100 annually
• QID card: QAR 100

The exact amount depends on the type of personal sponsorship involved.

Family members and accompanying dependants

MOI currently lists QAR 400 for obtaining or renewing residence for categories including:

• People under parent sponsorship
• Accompanying persons
• Separate residence-permit holders
• Newborns and related passport-record changes

Additional charges may apply depending on the transaction.

Because the fee structure depends on the resident's category, avoid quoting one universal “Qatar residence permit fee.”

Medical examination fee

Applicants required to complete Qatar's residence medical examination currently pay:

QAR 100

The Ministry of Public Health's government service directory confirms the QAR 100 fee for medical examinations related to residence permits and certain visa procedures.

The medical examination is a separate service and should not be described as automatically bundled into a QAR 3,500 or QAR 4,500 residence package.

The official service listing gives an estimated completion time of approximately six days, although individual cases can differ.

Qatar ID fee

For standard MOI residence-permit processing, the published QID card fee is QAR 100, according to the period of residence validity.

The QID should not be confused with the residence-permit fee itself.

For example, a company-sponsored worker may have separate charges for:

Residence permit — QAR 1,000/year

Work permit — QAR 100/year

QID card — QAR 100

Additional immigration steps may add to the overall cost.

Work permit fee

The Ministry of Labour publishes the standard fee for granting or renewing a work permit for workers sponsored by companies, associations, private institutions and individuals as:

QAR 100 per year

Replacement of that work permit is listed at QAR 50.

Different employment categories can have different fees, so don't assume the QAR 100 amount applies to every possible work-permit arrangement.

Family residence visa fees

Residents who meet the Ministry of Interior's family-sponsorship conditions can apply to bring eligible family members to Qatar.

The current fee for the initial Family Residence Entry Visa is:

QAR 200 per person

MOI confirms this fee for bringing a spouse and children into Qatar for the first time under family residence.

This is only the entry-visa charge.

After arrival, additional costs can include:

• Medical examination where required
• Residence-permit processing
• QID issuance
• Health insurance
• Document attestation and translation where necessary

Don't tell readers that the complete family-residency process costs only QAR 200.

What about domestic workers?

Domestic workers and other residents under personal sponsorship do not use the same QAR 1,000 company-sponsored RP fee.

MOI's published residence-permit schedule places personal sponsorship at QAR 300 annually for the residence permit, with other applicable charges depending on the case.

For a domestic worker entering Qatar for employment under personal sponsorship, MOI separately lists the work-entry visa at QAR 300.

This is another reason to separate entry-visa fees from residence-permit renewal fees.

Can you renew a residence permit for three years?

MOI states that when an eligible residence permit is renewed for three years, a 20% discount on the relevant renewal fees applies.

However, don't present a three-year RP as an option automatically available to every resident.

Eligibility and the validity period approved can depend on sponsorship category and the transaction available in the MOI system.

If the three-year option is available for your case, compare the total displayed in Metrash before paying.

Permanent residency in Qatar: fees

Qatar's permanent-residency programme has a separate fee structure.

Application fee

QAR 3,000

The fee is:

• Non-refundable
• Paid when applying
• Inclusive of the family members covered by the application

After final approval

QAR 3,000

This is the permanent-residence card issuance fee payable once the application receives final approval.

So an approved application involves QAR 6,000 across the two stages, but applicants should not confuse permanent residency with an ordinary work or family residence permit.

Eligibility requirements are also significantly more restrictive.

How to pay and manage residence services

In 2026, residents should use Metrash, not Metrash2.

The Ministry of Interior launched the redesigned Metrash app with more than 400 services, including residency, visa, inquiry, document, authorisation and payment functions.

MOI also provides online services through its website.

Depending on the service, residents and sponsors can use these channels for tasks such as:

• Residence-permit inquiries
• RP renewals
• Visa services
• Fee payments
• Application tracking
• Certificates
• Document delivery
• Notifications

Metrash's notification service is provided free of charge, and MOI also allows an additional mobile number to be registered to receive Metrash SMS alerts.

How to track a residence application

The Ministry of Interior provides a Residence Permits Inquiry service through its online portal.

The exact tracking information required depends on the transaction.

For permanent-residency applications, for example, MOI allows applicants to track the application through its residence-services inquiry section.

For employee and family applications, follow the status displayed in Metrash or the relevant MOI inquiry service rather than travelling to a service centre simply to check whether processing is complete.

A realistic budgeting checklist for newcomers

Before budgeting, first identify which residency category applies to you.

Company-sponsored employee

Typical published components include:

• Work-entry visa where applicable
• QAR 1,000/year RP
• QAR 100/year work permit
• QAR 100 QID
• QAR 100 medical examination, where required

MOI currently lists the work visa on company sponsorship itself at QAR 300.

Family member

Budget for:

• QAR 200 family residence entry visa
• Residence-permit processing
• QAR 100 medical examination, where applicable
• QID and other applicable residence charges
• Health insurance
• Document attestation/translation if needed

Permanent residency applicant

Budget:

• QAR 3,000 application fee
• QAR 3,000 after final approval

Don't rely on a single “all-inclusive” number unless it is displayed by the official government service for your exact application.

FAQs

How much is a new residence permit in Qatar in 2026?

It depends on the sponsorship category.

For a company-sponsored employee, MOI lists the residence-permit fee at QAR 1,000 annually, plus QAR 100 annually for the work permit and QAR 100 for the QID card.

The previously quoted QAR 3,500 and QAR 4,500 amounts are not MOI's standard published RP fees.

How much is the medical test for Qatar residency?

The official Ministry of Public Health fee is currently QAR 100.

How much does a Qatar ID cost?

MOI lists the QID card fee at QAR 100, according to the period of residence validity.

What is the family residence visa fee?

The initial Family Residence Entry Visa costs QAR 200 per person. Additional residence, medical, QID, insurance and documentation costs can apply after that.

How much is permanent residency in Qatar?

The permanent-residence application fee is QAR 3,000 and non-refundable. It includes family members covered by the application.

If approved, a further QAR 3,000 card issuance fee is payable.

Is there a discount for a three-year residence renewal?

Yes. MOI states that a 20% discount applies when an eligible residence permit is renewed for three years.

Do I use Metrash2 in 2026?

No.

Metrash2 was discontinued on 1 March 2025. Residents should use the current Metrash application.

Can I complete every residence procedure through Metrash?

Many services are digital, but not every residency procedure is guaranteed to be fully online.

Some applications can still require a medical examination, biometrics, original documents, a service-centre visit or sponsor/employer action.

Use the service instructions shown in Metrash or on the MOI portal for your specific case.

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