The Many Issues Indians Face In Entering Qatar

According to the Indian Ambassador to Qatar, Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Indians face many hardships and difficulties when entering Qatar. The following are the alarming statistics that many Indians have to face in the country.

1.In 2009, a total of 262 Indian nationals died in Qatar while 233 died in 2010. There are many reasons for the causes of these untoward deaths, from murder to illness or sudden medical emergencies. It was reported that the 29 of the fatalities were due to traffic accidents while 23 others died in their work sites;
2.In 2010, around 2,500 Indian nationals, amongst them 154 Indian women were deported from the country;
3.Currently, there are 94 Indians, five of them women, are being held in detention centers awaiting deportation to India;
4.There are also 36 Indian nationals, five of them women, who are incarcerated in Qatar's prison system for various offenses;
5.The embassy reported 432 work-related complaints to the Qatari Labor Department;

The embassy handled over 70,000 consular issues and was instrumental in the renewal of over 33,000 Indian passports.

The embassy further advised that proper immigration procedures need to be complied with in order to prevent and avoid issues regarding the entry and stay of Indian nationals in the Gulf Coast country. The following are the basic steps in obtaining an entry visa into Qatar:

1.The Indian visa applicant to Qatar needs to pay GBP 17 in local currency for a one month tourist visa to the country;
2.The visa applicant should complete, print and sign the online Qatar Visa Application Form together with two (2) recent passport sized photos;
3.The Indian passport should be valid for at least six (6) months from the date of travel with at least one blank page available as blank;
4.An original bank statement in the last three months showing the name and address of the applicant with an amount at least GBP 850 or its equivalent in the local currency contained within the account;
5.A prepaid and self addressed registered delivery envelope for any applications submitted by post;

The Qatari embassy recommends that visa applicants submit their application and documentation at least two (2) months before the proposed date of travel and make the appropriate accommodation arrangements no more than three months before the proposed date of travel. When the application is for more than one individual traveler, the Consulate requires that all documents be sent by post to the Consulate General and must reach the destination one week prior to the visa appointment.