Registering .ae and .qa domains: eligibility and steps

You've picked the UAE or Qatar for a domain, and now you need to know whether your company qualifies. That is the part people get wrong. The .ae and .qa spaces are run by regulators with written eligibility rules, and some of the useful extensions are closed to anyone without a local licence.

This covers the four extensions Karizanta sells: .ae, .co.ae, .net.ae and .qa. Who can register each, what documents the registry asks for, and how approval and renewal work. Where a registry does not state in writing whether a foreign company can register, we say so rather than guess.

Who runs these domains

The .ae country-code domain is administered by the .aeDA, the .ae Domain Administration, which sits under the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). The .qa domain is run by the Qatar Domains Registry (QDR), part of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA). Neither registry sells to you directly. You register through an accredited registrar or a reseller, and the registry enforces the rules behind them.

The four extensions at a glance

Read the table the way the registry writes it. Open means there is no local-presence test in the policy. Restricted means the registry checks a licence or trademark before it approves the name.

Registering under .ae

Names directly under .ae, such as yourbrand.ae, sit in the open zone. The .ae Domain Name Policy is blunt about it: applicants are "not required to provide any documentary evidence, nor meet any requirement other than those mentioned above." There is no local-presence test written into that clause. The requirements "mentioned above" are the general ones every registrant accepts, including accurate contact details and the acceptable-use rules.

The third-level names are where it tightens. For .co.ae, the policy asks for one of three things: a valid UAE trade licence, a UAE free-zone licence, or a UAE trademark you hold or have applied for. The name itself has to match, abbreviate or connect to that business name or mark, in a company where you hold at least half. For .net.ae, that licence or trademark has to be for IT services specifically.

So a company with no UAE licence and no UAE trademark cannot meet the .co.ae or .net.ae conditions. That is worth saying plainly. If you are a business outside the UAE with nothing registered there, the .ae extension open to you is the second-level name.

Registering under .qa

The QDR lists .qa as "Open for all" on its Registrants page. The restricted Qatari zones read very differently. The registry describes .com.qa as for companies "registered in the State of Qatar," and .net.qa for ICT companies registered there. Those two are not extensions Karizanta sells, and you would need Qatari registration to hold them anyway. The one we offer, .qa, carries no Qatari-registration wording in that list.

Here is the honest limit. "Open for all" is the registry's phrase, and it is not the same as "open to any company anywhere." The CRA's own FAQ raises the question of companies or individuals not located in Qatar, then answers it by pointing to the Domain Name Registration Policy rather than printing a yes or no. So if you are a business outside Qatar, treat .qa as likely available to you but confirm your specific case with the registrar before you order. Do not assume.

If your business is outside the UAE or Qatar

This is the part most readers actually need, so here it is in one place.

1. .ae (second level): the policy sets no local-presence requirement and asks for no documents. This is the .ae option for a foreign business.
2. .co.ae / .net.ae: these require a UAE trade or free-zone licence, or a UAE trademark. Without one, you do not qualify. There is no way around this from outside the country.
3. .qa: listed as "Open for all," but the registry does not state in writing whether a company outside Qatar can register. Confirm with the registrar first.

The steps to register

The mechanics are the same on both sides.

1. Check the name is available, using a registrar's lookup or the QDR's Find Your Domain tool.
2. Confirm your eligibility for the exact extension you want.
3. Choose an accredited registrar or reseller.
4. For a restricted name, gather your UAE licence or trademark, or your Qatari registration, before you order.
5. Register, and enter your contact details accurately. The registries treat inaccurate data as a policy breach.
6. Note the renewal date and set a reminder.

Documents, approval and renewal

For the open zones there is little to submit. A second-level .ae and a .qa need the standard registrant details and nothing more from the policy. Approval on an open name is usually immediate once the registrar processes it.

Restricted names are reviewed. A .co.ae or .net.ae application has to show the UAE licence or trademark it relies on. On the Qatar side, the QDR asks restricted applicants for a certificate of incorporation, or a signed letter from the relevant government authority for the .gov.qa and .mil.qa zones. None of that applies to the open .qa name you would buy here.

Renewal runs through your registrar, which handles "registration, transfer, cancellation, renewal and information updates," in the QDR's words. Two things on the Qatar side are worth knowing. The CRA describes domains as "leased and used, not owned," and an expired .qa name "will be deleted from the registry system after 1 month" if you fail to renew. Grace periods before deletion vary by registrar, so check the exact window with whoever holds your domain. The .ae Domain Name Policy (AEDA-POL-007, section 8.2.1) sets licence periods of one to five years. Confirm the grace period with your registrar.

Registering at Karizanta

Karizanta sells .ae, .co.ae, .net.ae and .qa through karizanta.com/domains. Check the name is free, pick the extension your eligibility allows, and for a restricted .co.ae or .net.ae have your UAE licence or trademark ready before you order. If you are still weighing a country domain against a generic one, our notes on .com versus country-specific domains and the step-by-step international registration guide cover the trade-offs.

Sources

1. .ae Domain Name Policy (AEDA-POL-007) (2010-09)
2. aeDA FAQ - TDRA (unknown)
3. About The National Domain Name (.ae) - TDRA (unknown)
4. Registrants - Qatar Domains Registry (CRA) (unknown)
5. Domain Management FAQ - CRA (unknown)
6. How to Register a Domain Name - CRA (unknown)

Frequently asked questions

Can a company outside the UAE register a .ae domain?

Yes, for names directly under .ae. The .ae Domain Name Policy sets no local-presence requirement and asks for no documents for the open second-level zone. The restricted .co.ae and .net.ae zones need a UAE trade or free-zone licence, or a UAE trademark, so a business with no UAE presence cannot hold those.

Can a foreign company register a .qa domain?

The QDR lists .qa as "Open for all," but the CRA's FAQ points to the Domain Name Registration Policy rather than stating in writing whether a company outside Qatar qualifies. Treat it as likely available and confirm your case with the registrar before ordering.

What documents do I need for .co.ae or .net.ae?

Proof of a valid UAE trade licence or free-zone licence, or a UAE trademark you hold or have applied for. For .net.ae the licence or trademark must be for IT services, and the name has to relate to that business or mark.

What happens if I don't renew a .qa domain?

The CRA treats domains as leased rather than owned. An expired .qa name is deleted from the registry after one month if it is not renewed. Grace periods before deletion vary by registrar, so check the window with yours.

Do I register .ae and .qa directly with the registry?

No. Both registries work through accredited registrars and resellers. You choose a name, register through a registrar such as Karizanta, and the registry enforces eligibility behind it.