When a expatriates first enters Qatar, their employer will arrange for a temporary visa which is then converted to a Work Residency Permit – a process that typically takes 2-4 weeks and sometimes longer. Applicants may not leave the country during the period of visa-to-permit conversion. When a expatriates first enters Qatar, their employer will arrange for a temporary visa which is then converted to a Work Residency Permit – a process that typically takes 2-4 weeks and sometimes longer. Applicants may not leave the country during the period of visa-to-permit conversion.