The number of travelers from Qatar to Canada is expected to double in the coming year, as a newly-opened visa application center in Doha should make it easier and quicker for visitors to sort through the necessary paperwork.
The Canadian Visa Application Center (CVAC) was formally opened earlier this week and will process temporary resident applications including visitor visas, work and study permits.
The service will likely be welcomed by the 7,200 Canadian expats living in Qatar, and for those wishing to travel to Canada who previously had to turn to offices in Kuwait or the UAE for visa and travel applications.
Located on the third floor of Jaidah Square building on Al Matar Street (Airport Road), the center will be run by VFS Global and operated by Qatar-based Mannai Corporation.
The companies also offer similar visa services in Qatar for those who wish to go to Australia, Bulgaria and the UK.
More visitors
It is estimated that around 3,000 people a year from Qatar apply for temporary visas.
Farukh Sardar, general manager of Mannai Air Travel, told The Peninsula that he expected increased interest to traveling to Canada with the launch of the new center, estimating that the traffic would double.
In addition to processing visas for visitors to Qatar, the center also handles travel document applications for Canadian residents in Qatar.
It will provide administrative support services such as collecting visa applications and returning passports and can assist in scheduling interviews on behalf of the Canadian visa service, a VFS official said.
However, it cannot influence the outcome of a decision to issue or refuse a visa, which is made by immigration officers of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, a Canadian government agency.
The center will not process immigrant visas, Sardar said.
Embassy operations
Canada first opened its Embassy in Qatar in 2012, but it initially operated only in a trade capacity, serving the commercial activities between Qatar and Canada.
Consular services were added in June this year, when the Embassy officially opened on the 30th floor of Tornado Tower in West Bay/Dafna.
The College of North Atlantic-Qatar (CNAQ) and University of Calgary in Qatar nursing school are two of the main Canadian-based employers in Qatar. The Qatar Canadian School also operates in Doha.
Canadian visa applications have hit problems in the past. In September last year, a strike in Canadian missions internationally created a backlog of applications waiting to be processed.
Would the new center encourage you to visit Canada? Thoughts?
Qatar Canadian school NOT a Canadian school, just a name of Canada that’s what I learnt from the School itself
Asghar,
Congratulation! You are a great example that anyone with the ability post online also has the ability to demonstrate their ignorance to a much greater audience (slow clap just for you!). QCS is indeed a Canadian curriculum school http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_Canadian_School
I was told by school administration that it is a private school and offering Canadian curriculum but not Canadian Government sponsor other example this school don’t offer priority to Canadian student, May be I’m wrong ??? have it check out(school
location north east corner 2Km from Land mark)
Look at the staff email on the website which is @can-Qatar.edu.qa. The school is supported by CNA-Q! That being said, in Canada, the education system falls within the domain of provincial jurisdiction, not the federal government.
I wrote that wiki article. It is a Canadian school, but it falls short of what it claims, however it still is technically a canadian school, which is also has links to CNAQ
that’s what I mean “it falls short of what it claims” I wish QCS should offer some room to Canadian student like other community school do. however it offer 100% admission to CNA-Q Canadian employee but not to Canadian student residing in DOHA , ultimately Canadian parents have no choice but to send their kids back to Canada for education,And yes loud and big clap for you Sully
I thought every second person in Qatar was Canadian. Got the permament residence, flew to Canada, stayed one day, made it across the America border and flew straight back to the Middle East citing high taxes and the fact that Canada is a long way from their home…