Qatar

Most drugs illegal in the U.S. are illegal in Qatar — including marijuana/THC, CBD products, and vape products — and importing drugs of any kind is prohibited.

Long jail sentences and steep fines for use or possession.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Cannabis is illegal in Qatar, and consuming it is an offence in its own right - not just having it. Article 37 of Law No. 9 of 1987 punishes possessing, buying, receiving, transporting or growing cannabis for personal use, or consuming it, with six months to three years in prison plus a fine of QR 10,000 to QR 20,000. Refusing to give a sample for analysis is treated by the law itself as evidence that you consumed. Cannabis and cannabis resin are on the Ministry of Public Health's list of substances banned from entering Qatar, and cannabis, hashish and hemp seeds are on the customs prohibited-goods list.

Possession, purchase, transport or cultivation for personal use, or consumption (art. 37): six months to three years' imprisonment plus a fine of QR 10,000 to QR 20,000. Possession for a purpose other than trafficking or personal use (art. 41): 3 to 7 years plus QR 100,000 to QR 200,000. Possession, purchase or sale with intent to traffic (art. 35): 10 to 20 years plus QR 200,000 to QR 400,000. Importing, manufacturing or cultivating with intent to traffic, or trafficking (art. 34): death or life imprisonment plus QR 300,000 to QR 500,000 - that is the trafficking provision and it does not attach to possession or use for personal consumption. Under the Penal Code a court may order a convicted foreigner deported after serving sentence, or deported instead of being sentenced in a misdemeanour case.

Verified Aug 18, 2026

Keep every medicine in its original labelled packaging and carry both your prescription and a doctor letter signed and stamped by the hospital or clinic. Some ordinary over-the-counter medicines are controlled substances in Qatar.

Verified Sep 2, 2026

Importing weapons and weapons-related articles (including handcuffs and laser pointers), ammunition, and explosives into Qatar is prohibited under customs law.

Prohibited import; seizure and legal penalties.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Travelers must declare cash, precious jewelry, or negotiable monetary instruments worth 50,000 Qatari riyals (about US$13,700) or more to Qatari customs on entry or exit.

Failure to declare or false information: up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of QAR 100,000-500,000 (or twice the amount), plus confiscation of the funds.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Religious materials may be imported for personal use, but bringing them in for proselytizing is prohibited.

Imprisonment or deportation

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Alcohol-related offenses including public intoxication can lead to arrest, heavy fines, imprisonment, or deportation, and importing alcohol above the duty-free allowance is prohibited.

Arrest, fines, jail, or deportation; alcohol imports above the duty-free cap are banned.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Vape products (e-cigarettes) are treated as illegal in Qatar alongside marijuana and CBD, so do not bring them into the country.

Use or possession can bring harsh consequences.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Up to 400 cigarettes per arriving traveller, and their value must not exceed QAR 3,000. Instead of the 400 cigarettes you may bring 20 cigars, or 300 g of pipe tobacco, or 500 g of raw tobacco, or 2 kg of shisha (muassel) — these are alternatives to each other, not additions. Anything above the count or the value is charged customs duty.

This is a TAX consequence, not a penalty. The page states the operative result plainly: "In the event that its value exceeds this value or the specified amount, the customs duties will be collected for this increase." No fine, confiscation amount or penal provision is published on this page for merely exceeding the tobacco allowance, and none is asserted. The allowance remains subject to the separate prohibition and restriction provisions of the Customs Law, which the page references without quantifying.

Verified Sep 1, 2026

Qatar enforces a zero-tolerance policy on drinking and driving and has arrested travelers for blood-alcohol levels lower than the U.S. legal limit.

Arrest, heavy fines, imprisonment, or deportation; overnight detention is common.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Photographing local people in Qatar, particularly women, without their permission is illegal; journalists, vloggers, and content creators need specific visas and permissions to use photography or videography equipment, and there is no legal guarantee of press freedom.

Arrest and prosecution.

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Qatar customs prohibit importing drones and professional photography equipment including telescopic lenses; operating a drone without prior approval may result in arrest.

Arrest; prohibited import

Verified Jul 7, 2026

Leave signal jammers and boosters at home, and get a CRA licence before bringing a satellite phone, two-way radio or drone transmitter. Operating wireless equipment without a licence carries up to 1 year in prison and QR 20,000 - and the court must confiscate the device.

Acquiring, installing or operating wireless telecommunications equipment without a CRA licence: imprisonment up to 1 year and a fine up to QR 20,000 (Telecommunications Law No. 34 of 2006 as amended by Law No. 17 of 2017, Art. 68); 2 to 5 years where the purpose is violating national security. The court must order confiscation of the equipment in all cases. Intentionally intercepting or interfering with radio waves intended for others: imprisonment up to 1 year and/or a fine up to QR 50,000 (Art. 66). Penalties double for a repeat offence within three years (Art. 72).

Verified Sep 2, 2026

Same-sex sexual relations between men are illegal in Qatar even if consensual; there is no law criminalizing relations between women, though cultural norms are conservative. Selling or distributing rainbow-colored merchandise is prohibited.

Lashing, lengthy prison sentences, and/or deportation

Verified Jul 7, 2026

In deference to local culture, avoid revealing clothing such as sleeveless shirts, halter-tops, or shorts in public; obscene language, gestures, or insulting comments often result in arrest, imprisonment, or fines.

Arrest, imprisonment, and/or fines.

Verified Jul 7, 2026