Qatar Publishes 8 Categories of People Eligible for Special Passport

• Qatar's government published the full list of categories eligible to receive a special passport under its amended passport law
• The updated list, revised by Law No. 25 of 2019, expanded eligibility beyond former ministers and ambassadors to include undersecretaries and their families
• It is noteworthy that the Emir of Qatar holds the authority to grant special passports to individuals outside the listed categories

Qatar's government has published the categories of people who qualify for a special passport under its national passport law, as amended by Law No. 25 of 2019.

The updated law expanded and reorganised the eligibility criteria compared to the original version, adding new categories such as undersecretaries of ministries and clarifying the conditions for family members of eligible officials.

Who qualifies for a special passport in Qatar?

Under the amended Article 8, special passports are granted to the following categories:

1. Members of the ruling family.

2. Ministers and those of equivalent rank, and former Ministers of State.

3. Former members of the Shura Council.

4. Undersecretaries of ministries and those of their previous rank.

5. Former ambassadors, provided they were not dismissed for disciplinary reasons.

6. Administrative staff attached to diplomatic and consular missions, Qatar's missions to international and Arab organisations, and Qatar's offices at the United Nations, during their period of assignment.

7. Wives and children of those in category one.

8. Spouses, minor children, and unmarried daughters who are Qatari nationals, for those in categories two to six.

The law also allows the Emir to approve special passports for individuals who do not fall within any of the categories listed above.

Qatar: How the amended law differs from the original

The original version of Article 8 listed current and former members of the Shura Council as a single category, while the amended law limits eligibility to former members only.

The original text also treated acting ministers and former ministers separately, whereas the revised law groups ministers and those of equivalent rank together with former Ministers of State.

Another notable change concerns the families of officials in categories two to six. Under the old law, wives of these officials were covered only if they were Qatari nationals, with minor children listed on a parent's passport.

The amended version broadens this to include spouses, minor children, and unmarried daughters, all of whom must be Qatari nationals, as a distinct eligible group.

Legit.ng reported that Qatar named 16 categories of people who qualify for a diplomatic passport.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Qatar explained how long one must reside in the country before applying for citizenship.

Conditions to get Qatar's immediate tourist visa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Qatar published four conditions to get its immediate tourist visa.

The requirements were published by the Qatari government via its official consular services portal, and apply to applicants seeking to visit the Gulf state.

Qatar's immediate tourist visa service is available exclusively to nationals of Turkey, Poland, Hungary, and Cyprus.