Qatar

Is Qatar safe to visit?

For crime, Qatar is about as safe as anywhere. UNODC counted 0.07 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2022, and theft against visitors is rare. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks it 31st of 163 countries and first in the Middle East.

The catch is the war. Since US-Iran hostilities began on 28 February 2026, Iran has fired missiles and drones at Qatar, which hosts Al Udeid, the largest US air base in the region. The US State Department rates Qatar Level 3 (reconsider travel). We score Qatar 79, level with the United Arab Emirates, with medium confidence because the situation keeps changing.

Iranian strikes since March 2026

The attacks began within days of the war. On 2 March the Qatari Defence Ministry said its air force had shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers and that seven ballistic missiles and five drones had been intercepted; Qatari officials said the targets included Hamad International Airport. QatarEnergy halted gas production the same day.

The heaviest blow came on 18 March, when Iranian missiles hit Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world's largest LNG plant, 80 km north-east of Doha. Qatar's foreign ministry said the strike caused significant damage; the interior ministry reported no injuries. Qatar expelled Iran's military attachés the next day.

The US and Iran agreed a memorandum of understanding on 17 June, and the UK dropped its advice against non-essential travel to Qatar on 18 June. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says that from 8 July, Iran again carried out strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region, including in Qatar, against US military and civilian infrastructure. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary, updated on 28 August, still warns of drone and missile attacks but now lets family members of US government staff rejoin them.

In October the attacks moved to the sea lanes. The Joint Maritime Information Center recorded five merchant ships struck in the Strait of Hormuz between 3 and 6 October, and on 7 October three drones hit a tanker in the central Gulf about 51 nautical miles off the Qatari coast, starting an engine-room fire and injuring one crew member. It was the first confirmed attack inside the Gulf since 9 September. The centre says a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in force. No strike on Qatari territory has been reported in this wave.

Qatar has also been hit from another side: on 9 September 2025 Israel struck a residential compound in Doha in an attempt to kill Hamas leaders, and Hamas said six people died.

For a visitor, most of the risk is disruption. Airspace has closed at short notice, flights through Doha have been cancelled in waves, and interception debris is the main physical danger. The FCDO advises staying away from military and security sites and, if told to shelter, moving to an interior room or stairwell. The US and UK both say terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out, with Western interests, hotels and malls named in threats.

Strict laws visitors should know

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists the rules that catch foreigners out:

• Alcohol. Only in licensed hotels and bars, from 21, with original photo ID. Public drunkenness can mean prison.
• Medicines. Some UK prescription drugs are controlled; carry a recent prescription and medical report and apply for a permit online.
• Words and gestures. Swearing and rude gestures, including at other drivers, can lead to jail or deportation.
• Relationships. Sex outside marriage and same-sex relations are illegal; public displays of affection can lead to arrest.
• Dress. Cover shoulders and knees in public, and strictly in government buildings, clinics and banks.

The law places a high burden of proof on victims of sexual assault, and a victim can be prosecuted if a court decides the sex was consensual. Contact your embassy first.

Roads, heat and the desert

Qatar's roads are much safer than a decade ago. The Ministry of Public Health says the death rate fell from 12.8 to about 5 per 100,000 people between 2011 and 2020, but road crashes are still the leading cause of death among young people and pedestrians make up about 30% of fatalities. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes road discipline as very poor; drivers flashing lights often mean "move over". Leaving a crash scene without reporting it on the Metrash app is illegal, and drink-driving brings prison or deportation.

Heat is the main natural hazard. Summer temperatures pass 45°C, and the FCDO warns that desert trips need a proper four-wheel drive, a convoy and supplies. Dust storms cut visibility on the highways.

Healthcare is good: the FCDO says facilities are similar to the UK's, but visitors pay, so check your insurance before you go. Call 999 for any emergency.

How to stay safe in Qatar

• Check the US and UK advice and your airline the week you fly, and allow long connections at Hamad International.
• Sign up for FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary or embassy alerts and follow Qatari civil defence instructions during alerts.
• Use the metro, Karwa taxis or ride-hailing apps; avoid unlicensed lifts.
• Pack medicines with the paperwork, and leave CBD and cannabis products at home.
• Plan desert and outdoor activities for October to April, early in the day.

For context, Saudi Arabia faces the same Iranian threat with far deadlier roads, and Egypt has more street hassle but no strikes.

How we scored it

Violent crime (94) and petty crime (90) are among the strongest in our country list. Conflict (52) is the weak point and reflects the Iranian strikes and the US Level 3 advisory; it would rise quickly if the attacks stop. Roads (82) have improved but still need care.