"In the line of achieving another milestone to strengthen the distinguished relations between the two countries and the keenness of the State of Qatar to furthermore enhance it to high level of confidence to work jointly for the benefits of two countries, the Qatar has decided to establish its visa centre in 8 countries to simplify visa procedures for expatriate workers."
In the light of the long-standing bilateral ties that exist between Pakistan and Qatar and as two countries that share a common ideological narrative, Pakistan has been selected as one of the first eight countries for establishment of such centers in the cities of Islamabad and Karachi.
Through these centers, the visa related procedures will be completed in the home countries of expatriate workers before their departure to Qatar unlike in the past where they took place in the state.
Furthermore, he said: "This is in line with Qatar's pledge to increase the number of Pakistani workers there especially in the FIFA 2022 World Cup infrastructure projects that are a huge undertakings, requiring a huge influx of professional and semi professional cadres of Pakistani migrant workers".
The CG acknowledged the humongous contribution of Pakistani migrant workers to the development of the State of Qatar and assured that Qatar has always been committed to protecting workers rights, which was lauded by United Nations Agency and International Labour organization.
Needless to mention, work visa applicants migrating to the State of Qatar will be required to sign work contracts, enroll their biometrics data, and undergo medical test at the Qatar visa center. The center operates through an integrated electronic system to complete the enrolment of biometric data and required medical check-ups.
The application process for work visa applicants requires the applicants to;
1. Get a visa reference number from the Ministry of Interior in the State of Qatar,
2. Book an appointment by visiting www.qatarvisa center.com and visit on appointment date. Qatar visa center no earlier than fifteen minutes before the scheduled time
3. At the reception, the identity of the visa applicant is verified, the list of required documents checked, and a token issued.
4. Once the token is called, visa applicants are required to digitally sign their work contract, enroll biometric data and undergo the required medical tests.
5. Upon completion of the process at the visa center, visa applicants will be able to track the status of the application online or through their employer in the State of Qatar.
Conveniently located at Ground Floor, 37-B / Block 6 Main Shahra-e-Faisal - PECHS, Karachi, the visa center is equipped with state-of-the art biometric enrolment and medical test facility. The visa center is designed in line with international standards ensuring greater transparency, traceability and increased security for the visa applicants.
The center operates between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from Monday to Friday. In consideration of facilitating procedures for Pakistani applicants, the first QVC in Pakistan was inaugurated on December 27, 2018 at Islamabad.
Some of the key medical tests to be conducted at the center include blood tests, x-ray, visual assessments, and physical examinations. The operations are backed by a team of highly qualified healthcare professionals with internal systems and processes based on the latest medical standards and best practices.