Mar 4, 7:11 AM
Qatar Extends Visas for Travellers Stranded After Airspace Closure
Tourists stuck in the country will receive automatic one-month extensions as flights remain suspended
Travellers stranded in Qatar after the closure of the country’s airspace will receive automatic visa extensions, the government has announced.
The Qatar Ministry of Interior said entry visas for affected visitors will be extended for one month without additional fees. The measure applies to all visa categories and will be processed automatically, with no need for travellers to submit applications.
Officials added that further extensions could be announced depending on how the situation develops.
The extension applies only to visas that expire after 28 February, when retaliatory Iranian strikes began across the region and prompted Qatar to shut its airspace. Visitors whose visas expired before that date will still be required to pay overstay fines.
Nationals from 102 countries are eligible for visa-free entry to Qatar. Depending on nationality, visitors can stay for either 30 days — extendable for another 30 — or up to 90 days for many European travellers.
Airspace in Qatar was closed shortly after noon local time on 28 February following regional missile and drone attacks, according to the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. Since then, no commercial flights have operated in or out of the country.
The national carrier Qatar Airways has been issuing daily updates on the continued suspension of operations. The airline has allowed passengers with bookings between 28 February and 10 March to change travel dates by up to 14 days or request a full refund.
While neighbouring countries such as the United Arab Emirates have begun arranging limited evacuation flights for stranded travellers, Qatar has yet to resume any air traffic.
The travel disruption has also affected passengers far beyond the Middle East. In Thailand, authorities say dozens of flights to the region have been cancelled. The government has confirmed that visit visas for tourists stuck in the country due to Middle East flight cancellations will also be extended.
According to officials at the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, hotels are being encouraged to offer discounted accommodation rates to travellers unable to continue their journeys.
Written by Thomas Nussbaumer
