[Qatar] 50% reduction for settling visa fines announced

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced a 50 per cent reduction in the settlement amount for companies to legalise the status of workers who have violated the law, Gulf Times reports.

In a statement on December 4, the ministry said that the Unified Services Department at the MoI - through various service centres - continues to receive requests for expats working in companies in violation of the provisions of Law No. 21 of 2015 regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and their residence within the time limit for correcting their illegal status. 

Unified Services Department Director Brigadier Abdullah al-Ansari said a decision has been made to reduce the settlement amount by 50 per cent for violating companies; either for not completing the procedures of residence permits of their workers or not renewing them, during the grace period for correcting the status of expatriates who have violated provisions of the law.

The grace period began on October 10 and will end on December 31. This is in accordance with Article 45 of the law regulating the entry, exit, and residence of expatriates.

Brigadier al-Ansari reportedly explained that, in accordance with provisions of the law, the "violating expatriate or violating employer must submit a request for reconciliation within the specified period to the Search and Follow up Department or to any of the service centres at Umm Salal, Umm Sunaim, Mesaimeer, Al Wakra and Al Rayyan". This is to consider the exemption or reduction of the amount of reconciliation based on the provisions of the aforementioned law.

He urged all groups seeking to benefit from the correction of their illegal status (expatriates violating residency, work visa and family visit visas conditions) to visit the aforementioned department or centre, from 1pm until 6pm, during this grace period.

Brigadier al-Ansari said that service centres have received nearly 20,000 requests from company workers since the start of the grace period and he expects an increased turnout following the reduction announcement.

He added that the procedures are easy, and there is "complete coordination with the Ministry of Labor and flexibility by the MoI".

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced a 50 per cent reduction in the settlement amount for companies to legalise the status of workers who have violated the law, Gulf Times reports.

In a statement on December 4, the ministry said that the Unified Services Department at the MoI - through various service centres - continues to receive requests for expats working in companies in violation of the provisions of Law No. 21 of 2015 regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and their residence within the time limit for correcting their illegal status. 

Unified Services Department Director Brigadier Abdullah al-Ansari said a decision has been made to reduce the settlement amount by 50 per cent for violating companies; either for not completing the procedures of residence permits of their workers or not renewing them, during the grace period for correcting the status of expatriates who have violated provisions of the law.

The grace period began on October 10 and will end on December 31. This is in accordance with Article 45 of the law regulating the entry, exit, and residence of expatriates.

Brigadier al-Ansari reportedly explained that, in accordance with provisions of the law, the "violating expatriate or violating employer must submit a request for reconciliation within the specified period to the Search and Follow up Department or to any of the service centres at Umm Salal, Umm Sunaim, Mesaimeer, Al Wakra and Al Rayyan". This is to consider the exemption or reduction of the amount of reconciliation based on the provisions of the aforementioned law.

He urged all groups seeking to benefit from the correction of their illegal status (expatriates violating residency, work visa and family visit visas conditions) to visit the aforementioned department or centre, from 1pm until 6pm, during this grace period.

Brigadier al-Ansari said that service centres have received nearly 20,000 requests from company workers since the start of the grace period and he expects an increased turnout following the reduction announcement.

He added that the procedures are easy, and there is "complete coordination with the Ministry of Labor and flexibility by the MoI".