Qatar to grant residency within days for foreign property buyers

Qatar will allow property buyers in the country to acquire both a title deed and real estate residency within days after purchasing property worth at least $200,000 (around QR700,000), Al Sharq newspaper reported.

The initiative, announced by Eng. Khalid bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), is set to be officially launched at the upcoming Third Real Estate Forum, in collaboration with the Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Labour, along with the Investment Promotion Agency.

Under the new framework, foreign nationals who purchase property worth at least $200,000 (QAR730,000) will qualify for an immediate title deed and residency linked to their investment, RERA confirmed.

Buyers investing QAR3.65 million ($1 million) or more will qualify for permanent residency, which provides access to healthcare, education, and investment benefits.

Speaking to Al Sharq newspaper, Al Obaidli said the effort reflects “a unified government approach” to streamline procedures and ensure a smooth, transparent process for investors.

He said that all concerned entities are working together as one team to make property ownership in Qatar easier and more efficient, noting that all projects licensed by the authority in 2025 “are free of issues,” with buyers set to receive both title deeds and real estate residency under the new system.

The move comes amid strong momentum in Qatar’s property sector, which recorded QR8.9 billion in transactions during the second quarter of 2025, a 29.8 percent year-on-year surge, driven largely by a 114 percent increase in residential deals.

The authority said ownership is open to Qataris and non-Qataris alike, with opportunities to purchase shops and offices in malls and residential complexes across the country.

Investors can also complete all ownership and residency procedures through a one-stop digital platform, simplifying what was once a complex process.

RERA highlighted that Qatar ranks first globally in ease of real estate registration, with ownership documents and architectural plans issued in under 24 hours.

The country also boasts the lowest property registration fees in the region, at just 0.01 percent of construction costs, alongside a fully electronic building permit system that has eased property transactions nationwide.