Visit visas on hold until December 5

MANY hotels in Qatar have been asked not to submit visit and tourist visa applications until December 5 in view of a UN-sponsored development conference in Doha, Gulf Times has learnt.

The authorities have put a moratorium on issuing such visas as many of the hotels have been booked to host the delegates who are expected for the international conference on financial development beginning on November 29, sources said.

A circular sent by the Immigration Department to one of the five-star hotels reads: “Tourist/Visit Visa processing has been stopped by the Immigration Department from November 4, 2008 for one month. Acceptance of applications will be resumed after the United Nations Conference, by December 5, 2008.”