Practical information about Qatar

 

Welcome to Qatar

Milipol Qatar edits a document allowing you to get the first general and important information about Qatar to prepare the best way your visit !

Download PDF

 

Time

Local time is GMT +3 hours. Qatar does not use daylight saving time.

 

Languages

Arabic is the official language, but English is also widely spoken. 

 

Currency

1 Qatari Riyal (QR) = € 0.19 & US$ 0.27 (June 2011) 

 

Visa Information

For information on visa fees, please visit www.moi.gov.qa  - section “Fees for the services rendered by MOI.”

Passport holders from 33 countries (including the UK and Ireland, most of continental Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) and other GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE) can get a tourist visa, which is issued upon arrival in Qatar. The tourist visa is valid for 21 days, and can be extended for another 2 weeks.

 

Hotels and tourism

• www.qatartourism.gov.qa

 

Driving in Qatar

Upon arrival in Qatar, visitors are allowed to drive for one week with a valid driver’s license from their home country.
After approval by the Traffic Department within 7 days of their arrival in the country, drivers can use an international driving license for up to six months. After this 7-day period, they must apply for either a temporary or permanent Qatari license (those with a temporary license can drive only rental cars).

 

Taxi Services

The state-owned public transport company Mowasalat operates a fleet of public taxis, called Karwa. These vehicles are easily identifiable by their turquoise-and-silver color and have the word ‘Karwa’ written on the side. These taxis are all modern and air-conditioned, and their drivers wear uniforms. They can be found on the streets or at Karwa stands outside malls, but are hard to find during rush hour.
To book a taxi: Tel +974 458 88 88 (extra charge of QR 1) - Expect delays during peak times.
Karwa taxis’ meters start at QR 4, and then run at QR 1.20 per kilometer (QR 1.80 at night).
For more information: www.mowasalat.com

 

Climate

Qatar has a desert climate with long, hot summers (from May to October) and rather mild winters. In the summer, the humidity can reach 100 percent, making it hard to stand sometimes.

Seasonal climate averages:

• spring: 15 to 35°C
• summer : 25 to 50°C
• fall: 15 to 35°C
• winter: 7 to 25°C

 

Public Holidays

• June 27
• December 18 (National Day)
• Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al-Adha (based on lunar calendar)