The Mustaqel Visa (Entrepreneur) is a five-year, self-sponsored, renewable residence permit that allows foreign nationals to establish or expand a business in Qatar without traditional employer sponsorship. Administered by Jusoor (Qatar Manpower Solutions Company) and, since February 2026, also promoted through the Invest Qatar "Residency Program" platform in partnership with Qatar Development Bank, the program is part of Qatar's National Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy and attract global entrepreneurs. The name "Mustaqel" means "independent" in Arabic, reflecting the self-sponsored nature of the visa. Although press coverage has described it as a "10-year golden visa," official sources describe it as a five-year residency with the option to renew for a second five-year term.
Authorized business incubators include Qatar Development Bank (QDB) programs (Qatar Fintech Hub, Qatar Business Incubation Center, Scale 7), Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), Qatar University Business Incubation (QUBI), Digital Incubation Center (DIC), Media City, Qatar Museum M7, and Startup Qatar.
For residents (QID holders):
For overseas applicants:
Overseas documents must be attested by the releasing entity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country, and the relevant Qatar Embassy.
The visa is granted for 5 years and is renewable for a further 5-year term. The application fee is QAR 5,000 (~USD 1,374), with rejected applications receiving a full refund minus administrative fees.
Holders may sponsor family members including spouse and children for residence in Qatar, and may issue family visit visas. Holders may also sponsor domestic workers. Dependants can reside in Qatar for the duration of the main applicant's visa.
Qatar does not impose personal income tax on salaries, wages, or allowances. Business income from a Qatar-registered entity may be subject to corporate income tax at a flat rate of 10% on Qatar-source profits for foreign-owned businesses (GCC nationals are exempt). Businesses in Qatar Free Zones may benefit from a 20-year tax holiday. Tax residency is generally established by physical presence of 183+ days in a calendar year.
Beyond the right to live and operate a business under self-sponsorship, the Invest Qatar entrepreneur residency lists supplementary benefits: incubator support and mentorship, access to investor networks, sponsorship of dependants and domestic workers, and a partner-merchant programme (320+ merchants offering discounts of up to 60%) that Invest Qatar estimates can reduce cost of living by roughly 20%.