The Gulf State Has Many Attractions for Expats
Why would anyone want to move to Qatar you may ask? With the World Cup currently being held in Qatar it’s constantly in the news. There are many negative stories flying around about human rights abuses in Qatar. I’m sure some of them are true. But, as usual, the people writing these articles are hypocrites. They ignore the human rights abuses closer to home like the imprisonment of Julian Assange in the UK, vaccine mandates, mask mandates and so on.
Qatar is not our first tax haven of choice in the Gulf. But it does have much to offer.
The biggest positive feature is, of course, the complete absence of taxes.
Income taxes, in particular, are one of the biggest government intrusions into our private lives. Income taxes give governments the right to question everything you do. It gives them an excuse to enter your home, confiscate your belongings and snoop into your bank accounts.
Here are some of the reasons you might want to move to Qatar.
Buy a Property to Get Residency in Qatar
There are several methods to getting legal residency in Qatar. These include investing in a business there or getting a job there. The easiest option if you’re independently wealthy is to buy a property there. You have to spend $200,000 on a property to get a temporary residency. This is renewable.
If you buy a property for $1m you will get permanent residency. Permanent residency is normally only available to those who have been there for more than 20 years. However, buying a property when you move to Qatar gives you instant permanent residency status. Permanent residency offers benefits such as access to free healthcare and education.
There are No Taxes When You Move to Qatar
Qatar has no taxes. There’s no income tax. There’s no inheritance tax. There’s not even sales tax or VAT. Qatar is one of a very small number of countries in the world that doesn’t have property tax. Nobody in Qatar buys property and then has to pay a fee to the government to live in it.
Qatar Has Few Extradition Treaties
A country that provides a safe haven from extradition is important to some people. With increasing criminalisation of victimless crimes and the long extra-territorial reach of countries like the US, it can be a valid point to consider for anyone who wants to bullet-proof their freedom.
Qatar has very few extradition treaties. It has no extradition treaties with the US, Canada, the UK or Australia.
Of course anyone who wants to move to Qatar must prove that they have no existing criminal record.
Great Expat Lifestyle When you Move to Qatar
Qatar offers a great lifestyle for expats. It has great year round weather, although perhaps a little hot in the summer. It has great beaches, modern shopping malls and a great selection of restaurants. It’s a more traditional Arab country so it doesn’t have the same level of activities as Dubai. Long term residents seem to enjoy it.
Excellent Healthcare in Qatar
Healthcare in Qatar is of a very high standard. There are excellent private hospitals. Some of them are more like 5 star hotels than hospitals. Medical insurance is affordable for expats. Healthcare should not be a worry if you move to Qatar.
Tax Free Shopping in Qatar
There’s no sales tax in Qatar. There are import duties om a number of goods, such as tobacco. On the whole you’ll be able to find anything you want in the large, luxury malls. Most of the big brands have branches in the capital city, Doha.
Low Crime Rate
Qatar has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. According to Numbeo the crime rate in Doha, Qatar is 8.61 compared to 63.48 out of 100 in London. Doha beats London and most other western cities on every single comparison when it comes to crime. Anyone who chooses to moveto Qatar will have no worries about crime.
Conclusion
Qatar will not be ideal for everyone. It’s probably not a great place for singles. The length of residence needed to get a Qatari passport is 25 years. They don’t permit dual citizenship, so it’s not the place to go if you’re seeking a second passport.
The quality of life, the absence of taxes and the low crime rates make a move to Qatar worth a look.
