Plain answers to the questions people bring us.
Each guide answers one question about Qatari law, in a few minutes' reading. For your own case, write to us.
All guides
Corporate & CommercialEnforcing a foreign court judgment in QatarThe Enforcement Court can order a foreign judgment enforced in Qatar under Article 13 of Judicial Enforcement Law No. 4 of 2024. It requires reciprocity, a final judgment from a competent court, proper notice, and no conflict with a Qatari judgment or public order. The GCC Convention takes priority, and arbitral awards follow the Arbitration Law and New York Convention.8 min read
Corporate & CommercialGeneral power of attorney in Qatar: the risks and how to limit themA general power of attorney in Qatar can give an agent wide powers. Vague wording covers only administration, but the agent can sell or mortgage once the POA names those acts, even without naming the property. Read the powers first, prefer a special POA with an end date, and know you can usually revoke it at the Ministry of Justice.9 min read
Criminal defenceCarrying cash into or out of Qatar: when must you declare it?When entering or leaving Qatar, you must declare cash, bearer instruments such as cheques, and gold, precious metals or stones worth QAR 50,000 or more, or the equivalent, on the customs declaration form at the port. Not declaring, or declaring falsely, can mean up to three years in prison or a fine of at least QAR 100,000 (Article 80).7 min read
Criminal defenceUsing your bank account for someone else's money in Qatar: what are the legal risks?Money you can't explain passing through your account can expose you to prosecution in Qatar. Under Law No. 20 of 2019, moving or holding money you know comes from a crime is money laundering: up to 10 years in prison and a fine of at least QAR 2 million (Article 78). Knowledge can be inferred from the circumstances (Article 5).7 min read
Divorce & custodyHow the Family Court works in Qatar: from filing to judgmentQatar's Family Court is made up of family circuits of the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal (Family Law, issuing Article 2). Cases are registered online through the Supreme Judiciary Council's e-services. The judge tries to reconcile the parties, hearings can be held in private to protect the family, and the Enforcement Court enforces judgments.9 min read
Divorce & custodyMaintenance (nafaqa) in Qatar: for a wife, for children, and how it is setIn Qatar, a husband must maintain his wife during the marriage and her waiting period (iddah), and a father his young children. Maintenance covers food, clothing, housing and medical care. Judges set the amount by the payer's means, the recipient's situation and economic conditions (Article 62), can order temporary maintenance, and the Enforcement Court enforces judgments.9 min read
Labour & employmentAnnual leave, overtime and public holidays in Qatar: what the Labour Law saysUnder Qatar's Labour Law, you earn at least three weeks' paid annual leave after a full year of service, and four weeks from five years. Normal hours are 48 a week, or 36 in Ramadan. Overtime pays your basic hourly wage plus at least 25 per cent, and private-sector workers get ten paid holiday days a year.8 min read
Labour & employmentChanging jobs in Qatar: how it works without an NOCSince September 2020, an expatriate worker in Qatar can move to a new employer without the current employer's approval, under Ministry of Labour rules (Law No. 21 of 2015, Article 21). You still give written notice: one month in your first two years, two months after that, and at least one month on probation. The Ministry decides the request.8 min read
Property & rentalBuying off-plan property in Qatar: protections and risksLaw No. 6 of 2014 on real estate development, amended in 2023, governs off-plan sales in Qatar, and Aqarat, the real estate regulator, licenses developers and approves each project. Buyers pay into a bank escrow account that the developer can draw on only as construction progresses, and each sale is entered in the Ministry of Justice's preliminary register.7 min read
Property & rentalCan my landlord increase the rent in Qatar?Not on their own. Article 10 of Qatar's lease law, as the Court of Cassation has applied it, allows an increase only by agreement or under a Council of Ministers decision, and no published decision has covered homes since February 2010. At renewal the rent can be renegotiated, but without a timely objection the lease renews unchanged.7 min read
Cheques & debtYou won the case in Qatar: how do you collect what the court awarded?A judgment is not paid automatically. Once it is final or provisionally enforceable, the winner files an enforcement request with the Enforcement Court, and the debtor gets ten working days to pay. If they do not, the judge can attach and sell their accounts, salary, property and vehicles, and take other graduated measures under the 2024 Judicial Enforcement Law.9 min read
Cheques & debtWhy was my bank account frozen in Qatar, and what can I do?In Qatar, a bank account is usually frozen for one of four reasons: an enforcement judge has attached it for a debt under the 2024 Judicial Enforcement Law, a precautionary attachment, a Public Prosecution order, or the bank's own anti-money-laundering hold. Each has a different route and deadline, so first find out in writing which one applies.9 min read
Corporate & CommercialBefore you sign a contract in Qatar: the clauses to checkBefore signing a contract in Qatar, check who the other party is and who may sign for it, the scope, payment and security, any penalty clause, termination rights, the governing law and forum or arbitration, the prevailing language, and whether notarisation or registration is required. Civil Code Law No. 22 of 2004 lets a judge reduce an excessive penalty.8 min read
Corporate & CommercialPartner disputes in a Qatar company: exits, deadlock and your optionsIn a Qatar WLL, the founding document comes first, then Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015. Partners can remove a manager by general assembly vote, sell shares subject to the other partners' 30-day pre-emption right, hold managers liable for serious faults, or dissolve the company. The Investment and Trade Court hears these disputes unless the partners agreed to arbitration.8 min read
Cheques & debtIs a security cheque enforceable in Qatar?Qatari law has no separate category for security cheques: a returned cheque is an enforceable instrument, and Article 357 of the Penal Code protects cheques. But courts ask why it was given. In civil and enforcement cases, the writer can prove it secured an obligation not yet due. In criminal cases, Court of Cassation rulings differ, so this is open.8 min read
Cheques & debtHow to recover money someone owes you in QatarMost creditors in Qatar start with a written demand. If the debt is a sum of money, in writing, fixed in amount and due, a payment order can replace a full lawsuit. A disputed debt needs a civil claim. Judgments, court orders, returned cheques and notarised settlements go straight to the Enforcement Court under the 2024 Judicial Enforcement Law.9 min read
Divorce & custodyChild custody in Qatar: who keeps the children, until what age, and visitsWhen parents in Qatar separate, the mother comes first for custody of a young child, unless the judge decides otherwise for the child's sake (Article 166). Women's custody ends at 13 for boys and 15 for girls, and the court can extend it. The father normally remains guardian, and the judge sets visits if parents disagree.10 min read
Divorce & custodyHow does khula work in Qatar?Khula ends a marriage in Qatar by mutual consent, in return for compensation paid by the wife. The Family Law treats it as a faskh, not a talaq (Article 118). If the husband does not agree, the court tries reconciliation for up to six months, then orders separation if the wife waives her lawful financial rights and returns the dower.9 min read
Criminal defenceHow a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of CassationA criminal case in Qatar usually passes through six stages: police evidence-gathering, Public Prosecution investigation, charge and referral, trial at the Court of First Instance, appeal, and cassation. A convicted person has 15 days to appeal a judgment given in their presence (Article 276) and 60 days to challenge in cassation (Article 291), plus any distance period.7 min read
Criminal defenceWhat counts as a cybercrime in Qatar?In Qatar, a cybercrime is any unlawful act using an IT device, an information system or the information network, under the Cybercrime Prevention Law No. 14 of 2014. Common offences include online insults and defamation, publishing private material, online fraud, hacking and spreading false news. Reports go to the Ministry of Interior's Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department.7 min read
Property & rentalEviction and security deposits in Qatar: what landlords and tenants can doIn Qatar, a landlord seeks eviction through the Rental Disputes Settlement Committee. During the lease, Article 19 of Law No. 4 of 2008 lists eight grounds, such as unpaid rent or the landlord's own use, and two need six months' notice. A residential deposit cannot exceed two months' rent, and a withheld deposit is claimed before the same committee.7 min read
Property & rentalWhere can non-Qataris own property in Qatar?Non-Qataris can own property outright in ten listed areas, including The Pearl, Lusail, West Bay (Legtaifiya) and, since June 2026, the Simaisma Resort and Beach Project, and can hold 99-year usufruct rights in 16 more. Property worth QR730,000 or more can support a residence permit. Ownership passes only on registration with the Ministry of Justice.7 min read
Labour & employmentResigning in Qatar: notice periods and what you're owedAfter probation, you can resign without giving reasons by written notice: one month in your first two years, two months after that (Article 49). If you leave sooner, you owe your basic wage for the notice not worked. You are then owed your remaining pay, unused leave, gratuity after a full year, and a ticket home.8 min read
Labour & employmentSalary unpaid in Qatar? How to file a labour complaintA monthly wage is due on the first of each month, and the employer must pay it through the Wage Protection System within seven days. If not, the dispute goes to the Ministry of Labour, then to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee, which decides within three weeks of its first hearing. Claims lapse a year after the contract ends.9 min read
GuidesHow to choose a lawyer in QatarStart by checking that the lawyer is on the Ministry of Justice's register of lawyers and that their admission level fits your court. At the first meeting, ask who will actually handle your matter, what the plan is and how you will be kept informed. Agree the fee in writing, and expect a notarised power of attorney.8 min read
Corporate & CommercialHow do you register a company in Qatar?Most businesses in Qatar register as a limited liability company (WLL) through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Single Window: reserve a trade name, notarise the founding document, obtain the commercial registration and establishment card, then the commercial licence. Under Law No. 1 of 2019, foreign investors can own up to 100 per cent with Ministry approval, outside restricted sectors.7 min read
Criminal defenceReceived a police summons in Qatar? What to do in the first 48 hoursDon't ignore it. Confirm who summoned you and when through an official channel, keep every message and document, and don't contact the complainant about the matter. Qatar's Criminal Procedure Code gives you clear rights, including being told of the right to silence (Article 40), your lawyer attending the prosecution's investigation (Article 65) and an interpreter (Article 72).7 min read
Divorce & custodyHow does divorce work for residents of Qatar?Residents of Qatar can end a marriage at the Family Court. Qatar's Family Law (Law No. 22 of 2006), with its routes of talaq, khula and judicial divorce, applies to followers of the Hanbali school. Others, including non-Muslims, follow their own rules unless they ask for the Family Law or differ in religion or school. The judge tries reconciliation first.9 min read
Property & rentalHow do rental disputes work in Qatar after the 2026 amendment?Since 3 September 2026, according to the Ministry of Municipality, the Rental Disputes Settlement Committee alone decides disputes between landlords and tenants, and courts will not accept a lease lawsuit until the committee has ruled. Its decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal within 15 days. Registering a lease now costs a fixed QR250 per unit.7 min read
Cheques & debtWhat happens after a bounced cheque in Qatar?When a cheque bounces in Qatar, the bank records the refusal on the cheque and, since 2024, pays whatever balance exists unless the holder refuses. The holder can then make a criminal complaint under Article 357 of the Penal Code or ask the Enforcement Court to enforce the cheque directly, without suing first. Settlement is possible at any stage.9 min read
GuidesDo I need a lawyer in Qatar?Not always. Many questions can be handled with good information. You should speak to a lawyer when something formal has started, such as a summons, a case or a judgment, when a deadline is close, or when your freedom, residency or children could be affected. The five questions below tell you where you stand.1 min read
Labour & employmentHow is end-of-service gratuity calculated in Qatar?Under Article 54 of Qatar's Labour Law, a worker who completes at least one full year of service is owed an end-of-service gratuity of at least three weeks' wage for each year, plus a proportional share for any part of a year. It is calculated on the last basic wage, without allowances. Under one year, nothing is owed.8 min read
GuidesWhat happens after you message a lawyer in Qatar?You reach out, a real person replies within the hour in working hours, and nothing obliges you. If it needs a consultation, you leave it with a written legal opinion and your next step. The plan and the fee are agreed in full before any work begins, and the firm sees the matter through.2 min read