If you are reading this, chances are you have moved or are planning to move to Qatar.
I? I haven’t been here for a long time. In fact, today marks 3 months since the day my wife and I landed in Doha.
But in those 3 months, I have had several experiences (both good and bad) that taught me the ins and outs of settling in Qatar.
And I want to share these lessons with you in this article.
So I present to you the 10 things you should know before moving to Qatar.
one) You will need an international driver’s license. No, you can’t get one here. If you show up to Qatar without one, you will only be able to rent a car for 2 weeks. This means that you will not be mobile until you obtain your residency and can apply for a Qatar license. An international license can be obtained in your home country in a matter of minutes and should not cost you more than $15.
two) It is considered very rude to offer to shake hands with a Muslim woman. Some Muslim businesswomen shake hands, others don’t. How do you say it? You respectfully wait for her to hold out her hand first.
3) There is only one way out for alcohol. Unless you visit one of the international hotel bars, the only way to get a drink is to visit the government-controlled distribution point (there is only one in the country). Please note that anyone without residence is not allowed to enter.
4) Living in Qatar often means that you need to make your own fun. If you are the type of person who needs to have a lively nightlife, Qatar is probably not the place for you. Yes, there are clubs. Yes, there are restaurants. But the whole scene is unfolding. For fun, people often go to each other’s houses. So just networking can really help you establish some friends when you arrive.
5) The city employs roundabouts instead of traffic lights. For you Brits, this is a no-brainer. For those of us from the New World, you better brush up on how to use the roundabouts before you come. If you are not very clear about how to use them, you risk endangering yourself and those driving around you.
6) Living next to a mosque can mean an early wake-up call every morning. Personally, I find the call to prayer soothing (hey, at least it doesn’t sound like a Justin Bieber song). However, start early. Living next to a mosque can mean this call is broadcast to your home 5 times a day (the first call arrives as early as 4am).
7) Taxis can rarely be flagged. Doha is small and the taxi culture does not exist. Unless you are staying in a hotel or live in very densely populated areas of the city, you will not be able to hail a taxi. Knowing this, your best bet is to rent a car the moment you arrive in town.
8) Get your degrees/certifications attested by the Qatari Embassy in your home country before you come. Save yourself the headache. Go to the Qatari Embassy and have the back of your professional qualifications stamped. Your employer will likely FedEx your documents home if you show up here without embassy certification.
9) Overstay visas are paid for at Doha airport. I learned this the hard way. If it is absolutely necessary to overstay your visa (which happens more often than most people think), you must pay your fine at Passport and Visa Control at Doha airport. You do not pay this fine in the immigration departments that dot the city. If you go to the immigration department, you will have to wait 6 hours and then they will tell you to go to the airport. And before you ask: yes, the airport Visa and Passport Control office is open 24/7.
10) Qatar is expensive. Let me repeat that: Qatar is very expensive. If you come here to look for a job, be prepared to shell out a good amount of money to have time to search for the right job.
Those are the Big 10, and I hope they make your transition to the State of Qatar much easier. Rest assured, Qataris are extremely welcoming and you will probably love your time here.