All You Need to Know about Document Authentication in Qatar
Authentication or legalization of a document refers to the process in which country X recognizes a document issued in another country Y as valid so that the document can be used in country X. This is not a verification of the content of the documents. It only ensures that the document is issued by the same agency whose seal is appearing in that document. Document attestation services provided by Sheen Services does this on behalf of the customers.
Where?
Consular Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the nodal agency that authenticates documents of different kinds issued in Qatar. The request for authentication along with the document that needs to be authenticated can be submitted at the legalization section at the administration building of the department. The documents can be submitted from 7.00 am to 1.00 pm here. Alternately you can approach Governmental Services Centers in Musaimeer, Alwakra, Um Selal, Alzubara. These centers work in two shifts, 7.30 am to 1.00 pm and 3.30 pm to 7.00 pm (except Alzubara). Diplomatic and consular missions under the supervision of the Consular Affairs Department will also receive the request for authentication.
Fees
Generally a fee of QR100 has to be paid if the specific fee is not mentioned for any particular document or contract. The death certificate and certificate that issued when joining Islam are exempted from fees.
Types of Documents
The Consular Affairs Department authenticate various kinds of documents that include mainly civil documents, personal status documents, educational documents, medical documents, judicial documents and commercial documents.
The Civil Documents include:
• Letters issued by government and private entities and pertaining to employees, whether Qatari citizens or residents, contracting with such entities.
• Letters issued by agencies under the supervision of government entities and departments for the citizens and residents.
• Letters issued by the diplomatic missions authenticated by the State of Qatar.
• Letters issued by the citizens themselves and authenticated by the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Judiciary Council or the Ministry of Interior.
• Letters of introduction, clearance and no-objection to residents, issued by their respective companies or agencies that are members of Qatar Chamber, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs or the Ministry of Economy & Commerce.
• Employment contracts concluded with residents, partnership contracts and all that is related to companies as well as papers related to employees of companies and institutions.
For the following particular documents, the fee for authentication is QR50. These documents are: General Power of Attorney, Special Power of Attorney, Surety Bond, Property Sale Contract, Property Lease Contract, Mortgage Contract, Security Deposit Bond
The Personal Status Documents include Birth and death certificates, copies of passports and ID cards, criminal clearance certificate and all other documents related to individuals, whether they are Qatari citizens or residents. The fees for following documents are specified as QR20:
• Birth Certificate
• Adoption Certificate
• Certification of Will
• Certification of Endowment
• Inheritance Enumeration Certificate
• Record of Will Reception and Unsealing
• Marriage Contract
• Certificate of Divorce
• Approvals of Marriage Non-objection
• Marital Approvals
Educational Documents issued in Qatar needs to be authenticated to pursue education abroad. The Consular Affairs Department authenticates academic certificates issued by following educational institutions in the country.
• Qatar University
• Foreign universities inside Qatar and authenticated by Qatar Foundation
• Qatari schools and authenticated by the Supreme Education Council
• Foreign schools inside Qatar and authenticated by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
• Diploma certificates issued by schools and institutes inside the country and authenticated by the Supreme Education Council or any other government entity
Besides these, the department also authenticates educational certificates issued outside Qatar also, provided these are authenticated by entities to which the Consular Affairs Department or one of its branches is affiliated. A fee of QR100 has to be paid for educational documents.
Like educational documents, Qatar authenticates Medical Documents issued both inside and outside the country. Within Qatar, medical certificates should be from hospitals and medical centers under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Health or the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. If the medical certificate is from hospital abroad, it has to be first authenticated by either the apex health body or Qatari mission in that country or that country’s mission in Qatar. The fee for authenticating medical certificates and medical reports is QR20.
The Judicial Documents include authorizations, litigation papers and arbitration documents issued by the Supreme Judiciary Council or the same documents issued outside the country and authenticated by competent authorities in that country. The fee for these documents to get authenticated is QR20.
The Commercial Documents like the certificate of origin, the packing list (manifest), the commercial contracts and the invoices are essential for overseas trading and the Consular Affairs Department can be approached for the legalization of these documents. The fees for authentication are comparatively high as the certificate of origin, the packing list (manifest) and the business contracts attract a fee of QR150. The fee for authenticating commercial invoices is dependent on the value of invoice. The slabs and corresponding fee:
• Below QR5,000: QR100.
• From QR5,001 to QR15,000: QR200.
• From QR15,001 to QR50,000: QR500.
• From QR50,001 to QR100,000: QR900.
• From QR100,001 to QR150,000: QR1,300.
• From QR150,001 to QR250,000: Q1,800.
• From QR250,001 to QR500,000: QR2,200.
• From QR500,001 to QR1000,000: QR3,000.
• 1000,001 and more: 4% of the invoice value in QAR.
Things to note: if the seals and signatures or pre-authentication content of a document is turns out to be invalid later, the authentication by the Consular Affairs Department or one of its branches will be deemed void and the matter will be referred to appropriate security authorities. Though the authentication doesn’t mean a verification of the content of the document, the department will not proceed if the content is found to be in violation of applicable rules regulations in Qatar.
Credit: Qatar day
URL:https://www.qatarday.com/blog-details.php?category=information&title=all-you-need-to-know-about-document-authentication-in-qatar&blog_id=29289