Mandatory health insurance for visitors in Qatar

Healthcare & Life Sciences Focus

Mandatory health insurance for visitors in Qatar

Nusa Gorenjak
Legal Consultant,
Corporate Commercial

In 2021, Law No. 22 of 2021 regulating healthcare services within Qatar (“Healthcare Law”) was issued. The Healthcare Law provides that all employees are to be provided health insurance and visitors to Qatar must take out health insurance in Qatar. Resolution No. 8 of 2022, issuing executive regulations of Law no. 22 of 2021 (“Executive Regulations”), provides further clarification in this regard. The Healthcare Law and the Executive Regulations came into effect in 2022.

However, in February 2023, Ministry of Public Health (“MOPH”) announced that, starting 1 February 2023, all visitors to Qatar must present evidence of valid health insurance upon arrival in Qatar and that such health insurance should be provided by one of the local insurance companies approved by MOPH. The list of such companies is provided on the MOPH’s website. Visitors may apply for health insurance for a period of 30 days through the website of the health insurance provider and pay a fee of 50 QAR. Such insurance is issued within minutes after the payment is secured.

MOPH accepts international insurance if accredited, covering Qatar, and valid for the visit duration.

Visitors are only required to have insurance for “essential health care services”, which only covers emergency and accident services. Even though not mandatory, visitors may also apply for premium services. Entry visas for visitors are not issued unless evidence of health insurance is provided. For visitors who are eligible for visa on arrival, the health insurance will be checked by Immigration Officers upon arrival in Qatar and, if not taken out in advance, will be required to be taken out there and then before entry is permitted. MOPH will also accept health insurance provided by international insurance companies, provided that such companies are accredited by the MOPH, the insurance includes Qatar, and is valid for the duration of the visit in Qatar. The process for such accreditation has not been made available.Despite mandatory health insurance having been implemented in detail for visitors, we are yet to see the information concerning the full requirements for mandatory health insurance for employees and their dependants. Currently, the Healthcare Law and its Executive Regulations provide that employees and their dependants must be provided health insurance by an insurance provider registered with MOPH. However, MOPH has not yet issued a list of such insurance providers or given any further information in this regard.

For further information,
please contact Nusa Gorenjak and
Frank Lucente.

^{Published in}^{January 2025}