Qatar .qa Domain Policy Changes and Registry Downtime From 22 October 2026

The Qatar Domains Registry (CRA) moves to a new platform and new policies on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Second-level .qa domains are no longer open to applicants worldwide: every new registration goes through eligibility verification with supporting documents (Qatar ID, residency, commercial registration or a registered trademark), so availability no longer means approval and payment no longer means instant activation. Existing .qa domains are not cancelled, but any change to their registration details, including nameserver changes at the registry, triggers the same eligibility check.

Registry downtime: the migration starts at 12:00 AM Qatar time (UTC+3) on 22 October with no announced end. Registrations, renewals, transfers, restorations and nameserver or contact changes are unavailable during the window; existing websites and email keep working. Please complete urgent .qa transactions before then.

New .qa registrations through BIGBANG ITS are paused from 22 October until the document-verification procedure is confirmed with our registrar partner. The pause covers new second-level registrations only; registered domains, renewals and other extensions are not affected. An order placed during the pause is held, not registered, and can be cancelled for a full refund. Please do not send identity documents until we request them through a ticket.

Other new rules: a 60-day transfer lock after registration, a mandatory one-year renewal with every transfer, 5-day grace periods, a 45-day registry auto-renew grace period and a 30-day redemption period.

Full explanation and FAQ: Qatar .qa domain policy changes, October 2026 · Official policies: CRA Qatar Domains Registry Policies

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