Australians no longer need a visa to enter Qatar

Australians travelling to Qatar – including the country's capital of Doha, home to Qatar Airways – no longer need a visa to enter the country, effective immediately.

A visa-on-arrival fee of 100QAR (A$35) was previously payable by Australian citizens at passport control when entering the country for up to 30 days.

The new visa waiver arrangements also provide entry for up to 30 days across one or multiple visits, and can be issued provided the traveller's passport is valid for at least six months from the date of entry and the passenger holds an onward or return ticket from Qatar.

These arrangements also now apply to citizens of New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and a host of other countries.

It's also possible to extend the visa-free entry for a further 30 days, with the news following last year's introduction of fee-free transit visas for passengers visiting Qatar for periods of five to 96 hours, when pre-arranged through Qatar Airways prior to travel.