Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       04 Sept 2018                                                                                                                                                                                      (Gulf Times/QNA)

Amir of State of Qatar,  Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani issued on Tuesday Law No. 10 of 2018 on permanent residency for non-Qatari individuals subject to stipulations, the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

Article 1 of the Law explains the conditions that entitle a non-Qatari individual to get approval for permanent residency in Qatar.

Prior to submitting an application requesting approval for permanent residency, the individual concerned should have a continuous normal legal residency in Qatar for 20 years if born outside and 10 years if born in the country.

The clause of continuous stay is not undermined by the applicant staying outside the country for 60 days in a year. In all cases this period shall be deducted from the time calculated as residency in the country.
If the applicant left the country for more than six consecutive months after submitting his application for permanent residency, the Minister of Interior may not consider his prior residency stay period.

The applicant should have enough income to meet his needs as well as his dependents. A decision by the cabinet shall specify the minimum income and the cases to be exempted from this.

The applicant should enjoy good conduct, and reputation, and have not been convicted by a final ruling inside Qatar or outside Qatar in crimes that undermine honesty, trust and fame unless he was reinstated to his former status.

The applicant should also have adequate knowledge of the Arabic language.

Article 2 details exception from the stipulations of Article 1 and states that non-Qatari individuals of the following categories can be approved to have a permanent residency:

1-    The children of a Qatari woman married to a non-Qatari man.
2-    The non-Qatari husband of a Qatari woman
3-    The non-Qatari wife of a Qatari man
4-    The children of Qataris who acquired citizenship
5-    Individuals who have done great services to the country
6-    Individuals with special capabilities needed by the country.

The marriage for categories 1, 2 and 3 should be according to the law.

According to Article 3, “The Committee to Grant the Permanent Residency Cards” shall be created at the Ministry of Interior to look into the permanent residency applications according to the stipulations of this law.

A Cabinet decision shall be issued to determine its membership, rewards, system of work and the procedures that it would follow.

The Committee shall submit its recommendations to the Minister of Interior, and the Minister shall issue the appropriate decision in the relevant applications. Accordingly, the Minister of Interior shall grant the approved person a card called “Permanent residency card”.

Article 4 stipulates that not more than 100 individuals shall be approved per year to have permanent residency.

However, upon the approval of Amir of Qatar, based on the recommendations of the Minister of Interior, this number could be increased for each individual year separately.

Article 5 takes into consideration the stipulation of law no 21 for 2015 Regulating the Entry, Exit, and Residence of Expatriates. Accordingly, the holder of a permanent residency card has the right to exit the country and return throughout its validity without the need to obtain a permit or approval.

As per Article 6 the holder of the permanent residency card may get education and treatment at the government institutes inside the country, according to the terms and conditions determined by a decision issued by the Cabinet.

Article 7 stipulates that the spouse of the holder of the permanent residency and his/her children of maximum 18 years old shall enjoy the privileges of a holder of the permanent residency card in terms of residency, health and education according to the stipulation of this law.

However, the Minister of Interior can exempt from the age stipulation male children of the permanent residency card holder if they have not completed their university education until the age of 25 and unmarried daughters.

According to Article 8 the holders of the permanent residency card can invest in the sectors of the national economy, which are determined by a Cabinet decision, without a Qatari partner on condition that the company shall be established according to the stipulations of the law that regulates commercial companies.

As per Article 9 the holders of permanent residency cards shall have the right to own residential buildings and invest in the areas, determined by a Cabinet decision, according to the applicable terms and conditions.

Article 10 stipulates that the Minister of Interior shall issue a decision to determine the fees for the application of permanent residency approval and that for issuing the permanent residency card, and its data and validity.

Article 11 states that the Minister of Interior can cancel the permanent residency approval and revoke the permanent residency card in case the approved person lost any of the conditions stipulated in Article 1 clause 3 of the law or according to conditions for the public good.

According to Article 12, the Minister of Interior shall issue the necessary decision to implement the stipulation of this law, while Article 13 adds that the law is effective and is to be published in the official gazette.