The duty of the Search and Follow-up Department (SFD) is to implement Law Number 4 of 2009, which regulates the entry, exit, residence and sponsorship of expatriates in the country.
Responsibilities:
1. Conduct searches and investigations to ensure the provisions of the above law are not violated.
2. Take necessary action related to execution of court decisions on deportation of those found violating the above law.
3. Manage the detention of deportees until they are sent back home.
4. Maintain a record of deportees and take necessary action to ensure they don’t re-enter Qatar.
5. Fight the illegal visa trade.
Help the SFD provides to expatriate workers:
1. Enabling violators of Law Number 4 of 2009 to file appeals against court orders of deportation.
2. Helping deportees get their financial dues from people or companies.
3. If a person who has been ordered deported has lost his passport, the SFD coordinates with the embassy concerned to obtain emergency travel documents.
4. Receiving workers referred to the department by their country’s embassy for repatriation.
5. Helping workers denied exit permits by their sponsors or whose sponsor is out of the country and unable to give them an exit permit.
Some key rules:
1. Expatriates who leave the country for good and have not been ordered deported are eligible to obtain a fresh work visa only after two years. However, they can get a fresh work visa immediately if they have a no-objection letter from their former employer.
2. A foreigner arriving in the country afresh must report for medical tests and fingerprinting within seven days of arrival to complete residence permit stamping procedures. It is the sponsor’s responsibility to ensure this. Delay can attract a fine.
3. All expatriates must have a valid residence permit.
4. The sponsor is responsible for completing the residence permit stamping formalities as also renewal of the permit.
5. The sponsor must return the employee’s passport to him/her.
7. Those on a visit or business visa must not overstay, or should get their visa extended. Failure to do so can attract a heavy fine and even a jail term.
8. Expatriates should work only with their sponsor and stick to the purpose of their stay as mentioned in their residence permit.
9. After cancellation of the residence permit an expatriate should leave within 90 days.
10. Not obtaining a residence permit or renewing it within six months of expiry will result in the expatriate’s deportation.
