How do you make, attest or cancel a power of attorney in Qatar?

Which type of power of attorney do you need?

Pick the type that matches what the agent will do. A power of attorney is a contract under which the agent carries out a legal act for the principal (Civil Code Article 716). The Ministry of Justice's main types are:

A POA in general terms covers only acts of administration (Article 719). Sale, gift, settlement, mortgage, admissions, arbitration and court proceedings need special authority (Article 721). Before signing a general POA, read our guide to power of attorney risks.

Where is a power of attorney made, and how do you apply?

An official POA is made at the Ministry of Justice's Documentation Department, where a notary records the parties' intentions in an official document (Notarisation Law No. 1 of 2023, Article 1). The Ministry lists these services as digital (hotline 137).

1. 1

   Open a Hukoomi account if you don't have one, then activate SAK at the nearest Ministry of Justice centre.

2. 2

   Sign in to the SAK portal (sak.gov.qa) or app and choose the POA type under documentation services.

3. 3

   Enter the agent's details and the exact powers, upload documents and translations, then pay and follow the request until the POA is issued.

Minister of Justice Decision No. 155 of 2024 allows fully electronic notarisation: a request from your personal account, an electronic signature, and delivery to your national address, phone or email, with a paper copy for a fee (Articles 1 and 2).

The notary checks identity, capacity and consent against official papers (Article 3), and reads out the text and explains its effect (Article 13). Documents are notarised in Arabic; if you don't know Arabic well, a translator on the Ministry's experts roll signs with you (Article 2). A refusal comes with written reasons, and you can complain to the Minister within 15 days of notice (Articles 10 and 11).

Can anyone else notarise? The Minister may authorise people outside the Documentation Department to do some or all notary work (Article 29). In July 2026 six Ministry of Interior legal staff were licensed as "delegated notaries".

What documents and fees apply?

The Ministry asks for valid documents and an applicant of full capacity and legal age. Its POA service pages list:

• Qatar ID or passport.
• Commercial registration, establishment card and trade licence, if the principal is a company.
• A copy of any earlier power of attorney.
• Other documents where relevant, such as a succession certificate, a Minors' Affairs letter or approvals.
• The title deed for a real estate POA, or the case summary for a single-case POA.
• A certified Arabic translation of any foreign-language document, by a translator on the Ministry's experts roll (Notarisation Law, Article 7).

Fees are set by ministerial decision (Article 35). The Ministry's service pages showed these on 26 October 2026; they can change, so check before you apply:

How do you use a power of attorney signed abroad in Qatar?

A POA signed outside Qatar normally needs notarisation where you sign it, then an attestation chain, before bodies in Qatar rely on it. Qatar is not a party to the 1961 Apostille Convention, according to the Hague Conference's status table. Its membership of the Hague Conference since 17 September 2026 does not change that, so don't rely on an apostille alone.

1. 1

   Sign before a notary or other competent authority where you are. Qatari citizens can also use a Qatari embassy, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) says issues authorisations for nationals.

2. 2

   Have it attested by that country's foreign ministry, then the Qatari embassy or consulate, or use MOFA's "Complete Attestation Outside Qatar" service (listed fee QAR 150, plus the equivalent of QAR 120 for the mission and the host ministry's fees).

3. 3

   Add a certified Arabic translation by a translator on the Ministry of Justice's experts roll (Notarisation Law, Article 7).

4. 4

   Ask the receiving body, such as your bank or the real estate registry, whether the POA must be deposited through the Ministry of Justice's "Acceptance and Deposit of Documents Notarized Before Foreign Authorities" (Article 16).

In court, an unofficial POA needs the principal's signature certified by the competent official body (Procedure Law, Article 41). See our guide on handling a legal matter from abroad.

How do you use a Qatari power of attorney abroad?

A POA notarised in Qatar is in Arabic (Notarisation Law, Article 2) and usually needs MOFA attestation, then whatever the destination country requires. Qatar cannot issue apostilles, as it is not a party to the Convention.

1. 1

   Ask the foreign body which wording, language and attestations it accepts, and whether it has its own form.

2. 2

   For a foreign form, the Ministry of Justice's "Signature Attestation for Foreign Entities" certifies signatures on a document addressed to specific bodies; add a certified Arabic translation (Articles 21 and 22).

3. 3

   Get MOFA attestation online: log in through Tawtheeq, the national login, and apply. MOFA reviews it within one working day, you pay, and Qatar Post collects and returns the documents.

4. 4

   Ask the destination country's embassy whether it must also attest the document, or wants a translation.

How do you cancel a power of attorney, and when does it end by law?

A principal can end or restrict a POA at any time, even against an agreement. But a POA given in the agent's or a third party's interest needs that person's consent, and dismissing an agent at an unsuitable time or without acceptable reason means compensation (Civil Code Article 735).

1. 1

   Apply to the Documentation Department for "Power of Attorney Revocation" («إلغاء توكيل»), a digital service that revokes or suspends the powers in an earlier notarised POA, with the documents listed above.

2. 2

   Tell the agent in writing, in a way you can prove. Ask for the POA copies back and an account supported by documents (Article 724).

3. 3

   Tell your bank, partner, developer and others the agent deals with. Someone who contracts with the agent after the POA ends can hold you to the contract if neither of them knew, or could reasonably have known (Article 86).

A POA also ends by law in these cases:

After a death, the heirs notify the Documentation Department, which records the end of the POA (Notarisation Law, Article 30); for the estate, see inheritance in Qatar. The agent must still bring work in hand to a safe point (Article 737), and can record a withdrawal with the Ministry. A pre-2011 POA cannot be used at the Documentation Department unless entered in its electronic register (Article 33).

When should you speak to a lawyer?

Many powers of attorney are made without a lawyer. Advice helps when:

• You need precise powers for a property or business deal (see property ownership for expats).
• You will sign a POA abroad for use in Qatar and are unsure what the receiving body accepts.
• You are asked for a POA in the agent's or a third party's interest, or one called irrevocable.
• The notary refused your document and you want to understand why before complaining.
• You revoked a POA and the agent will not return documents or give an account.
• The principal or agent has died and transactions are unfinished.

Questions people ask