When travelling to Qatar for visa applications or procedures concerning family relationships, education or corporate matters, you may be asked to submit Japanese family registers or other certificates.

Japanese public documents, however, are often not accepted by the receiving authority in Qatar as they are. In some cases, the receiving authority will advise you to obtain consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan.

Qatar Is Not a Party to the Apostille Convention: Consular Authentication Is Required

When the country where a document is to be submitted is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, an apostille is generally sufficient.

For Japanese documents to be submitted in Qatar, however, the usual process is not an apostille. You first obtain authentication (official-seal confirmation) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then obtain consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan.

The general process differs by document type as follows.

Public documents: Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication → consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan
Private documents: notarization and the required certification of the notary’s seal → Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication → consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs FAQ also explains that authentication is a procedure carried out in anticipation of consular authentication by a foreign embassy or consulate-general, and that private documents generally need notarization or similar certification first.

You may apply for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication by post or at the counter. The Ministry publishes its counter hours: at its Tokyo office, applications are accepted from 14:00 to 16:00 and documents are issued from 9:30 to 12:00.
It is safest to prepare with sufficient time to spare.

After Obtaining MOFA Authentication, Apply for Consular Authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan

Once you have obtained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication, the next step is to apply for consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan.

The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan is located at 2-3-28 Moto-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Its official website also lists this address, telephone number and email address.

Address: Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan, 2-3-28 Moto-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046
https://tokyo.embassy.qa/en

Consular Procedure Reception Hours at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan

According to the official website, normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 to 17:00, and consular procedures are accepted Monday through Friday, 9:30 to 12:00. Reception rules and closure dates may change, so we recommend checking the latest information before visiting.
For document-authentication applications, the submission window is narrower: applications can only be submitted from 11:00 to 12:00 on weekdays.

Points to Note for School Documents

Care is required when obtaining authentication for Japanese school documents for submission in Qatar, including graduation certificates and academic transcripts.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs FAQ explains that it cannot authenticate an English graduation certificate bearing only a school principal's signature and no official seal. It also explains that whether authentication is available varies according to the school type and the nature of the document. Treatment of documents from private schools, private universities and vocational schools differs by document type, so checking before submission is very important.

In particular, the best procedure for certificates from private schools or vocational schools, English-language documents and original diplomas will depend on what the receiving authority requires. Proceeding based on your own assumptions can mean having to start again, so we recommend confirming the requirements with the receiving authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in advance.

Documents We Frequently Handle for Consular Authentication for Qatar

We can check whether we can assist with documents not listed below, so please feel free to contact us.

We receive a great many requests from a wide range of corporate and individual clients, including companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
English translation support is also available.

• Certificates of All Historical Matters (company registry certificates / corporate registration certificates / certificates of current matters)
• Articles of incorporation
• Shareholder registers
• Family registers and seal registration certificates
• Passport copies
• Educational documents, including graduation certificates and academic transcripts

Fees for Our Qatar Consular Authentication Service

Taiga Sato · Registration No. 19080406. Certificate shown with an English translation for reference.

Estimates are free.

We Can Offer Our Services at Competitive Prices Because Our Office Is Close to the Qatar Embassy

Our office is only three minutes by bicycle from the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan, allowing us to maintain quality while offering accessible pricing.

If an office is far from the embassy while charging low fees, maintaining service quality becomes difficult and the risk of mistakes increases.

Please leave authentication of documents for Qatar to us.

Benefits of Asking a Specialist to Handle Authentication for Qatar

■ Some procedures require an application at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Moto-Azabu
Authentication of documents for Qatar may not be complete with Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication alone; consular authentication at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Japan may then be required.
Some document types also require prior procedures at a notary office, so it is important to understand the whole process before proceeding.

■ Applying on your own involves many points to confirm and can easily require rework
There are many points to confirm in advance: the document type, whether it is public or private, whether a translation is required, treatment of school documents and the type of authentication requested by the receiving authority. It is therefore not easy for a first-time applicant to complete the process correctly in one attempt.

■ Translation documents also require attention to submission rules
Depending on the receiving authority, not only the document itself but also the English translation and the way a translation certificate is attached can be important. If the translation format is unsuitable, the receiving authority may not accept the document even after authentication has been obtained.

■ Recommended for those who want to focus on their core work
Authentication procedures for Qatar may involve several stages, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notary offices, the embassy and translation arrangements. Outsourcing travel and confirmation work can make it easier to focus on your core work.

One difficulty with consular authentication at the Qatar Embassy is that the counter fee cannot be paid at the embassy; payment can only be made at the designated MUFG Bank, Hiroo Branch.

We accept email enquiries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Credit-card and bank-transfer payments accepted.
We never use persistent sales tactics.
Administrative scriveners are subject to a legal duty of confidentiality.
Receiving an estimate does not oblige you to place an order.

Silver Plaza Azabu-juban 506, 2-19-4 Azabu-juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
RP Office［ Royal Partners Administrative Scrivener Office ］
TEL 03-6303-1664
info@royal-ptns.com
Specified Administrative Scrivener (Tokutei Gyoseishoshi), SATO Taiga

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