Getting and Renewing Your Qatar ID (QID) as a Foreign Resident

Researched from official sources ยท May 25, 2026

The Qatar Identity Card โ€” QID โ€” is the unified biometric card the State of Qatar issues to every lawful resident, citizen and non-citizen alike.

For a non-Qatari, the QID is the physical printout of the underlying residence permit and the two are administratively the same document. The Ministry of Interior General Directorate of Passports issues and renews the QID; the resident's sponsor lodges every application, pays the fee, and takes delivery.

Estimated time

Two to four weeks from medical and biometric capture to first-issuance card dispatch; renewals through Metrash2 typically settle in one to three working days from sponsor payment

Cost

QR 100 first-issuance card fee; annual renewal QR 1,000 (company-sponsored worker), QR 500 (spouse or adult dependant), QR 400 (child under 18), QR 300 (personal or domestic-worker sponsorship); replacement QR 200; Qatar Post delivery adds about QR 20

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • Pre-departure Qatar Visa Center confirmation (for nationals of India, Pakistan and the Philippines completing medical and biometric before travel)
  • Educational and professional certificates, attested in the country of issue and at a Qatar embassy before travel โ€” useful where the role requires Ministry approval
  • Notice-period evidence (resignation acknowledgement, end-of-service confirmation) โ€” required for a transfer of sponsor
  • Police report โ€” required for the QR 200 replacement of a lost or damaged QID card
  • Real-estate-investment Golden Visa thresholds: purchase at or above QR 730,000 in designated freehold zones supports a renewable temporary residence permit; purchase at or above QR 3,650,000 supports permanent residence under Law No. 10 of 2018 subject to the 100-per-year quota

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Before arrival: Confirm the residence-permit route and sponsor

    New Arrival Expat
    1. Confirm the sponsorship route: employment-sponsored (a Qatar-registered company, a Qatar Financial Centre licensed firm, a government ministry, or a Qatari individual in personal-employment categories), family of an employment-route sponsor, or investor under Article 18 of Law No. 21 of 2015
    2. Confirm the sponsor will lodge every QID application in your name: the resident cannot lodge or pay from their own account in the sponsor's stead
    3. If you are a national of India, Pakistan or the Philippines, check whether your sponsor will route the medical and biometric through a Qatar Visa Center in your home country before travel

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: GCC nationals (citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait) do not need a residence permit to live and work in Qatar and may opt into the QID for service-access convenience โ€” this guide does not apply to them.

  2. 2

    After arrival: Complete the medical fitness check

    New Arrival
    1. Within the first week after arrival, attend a Ministry of Public Health-approved medical centre for the standard fitness battery โ€” blood tests, chest X-ray, communicable-disease screening
    2. Results transmit electronically to the Ministry of Interior within two to five working days; you do not collect a paper certificate
    3. If you completed the pre-departure medical at a Qatar Visa Center (India, Pakistan, Philippines), this step is already done

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Booking the medical privately when the sponsor's public-relations officer handles it usually wastes the appointment because the lodgement file is keyed to the sponsor's electronic submission.

  3. 3

    After arrival: Attend the Ministry of Interior biometric capture

    New Arrival
    1. Attend a Ministry of Interior fingerprint section or a service-centre biometric counter for fingerprint capture from both hands and a digital facial photograph
    2. The appointment itself takes 15 to 30 minutes; the record is available to subsequent lodgement within 24 hours of capture
    3. Bring your passport with the work-visa entry stamp and two coloured passport-sized photographs against a blue background

    โš ๏ธ Watch out: Without biometric capture the QID print is suspended irrespective of medical clearance. If the sponsor's lodgement is held at the print stage, confirm the biometric record has been registered against your file.

  4. 5

    Take delivery of the QID card

    New Arrival Expat
    1. Standard fulfilment is within one week of approval; delivery is to the sponsor's nominated address through Qatar Post with a supplement of about QR 20, or for sponsor pickup at a Ministry of Interior service centre
    2. Verify the visible data fields on the card โ€” full name, photograph, QID number, validity dates, sponsor name, profession โ€” before leaving the counter or signing for the courier
    3. Photograph the QID front and back for your records and store the QID number separately

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: From this point the QID is your statutory identification โ€” banking, mobile-phone contracts, driving-licence applications, healthcare access (with the separate health card), tenancy registration and entry to government counters all key off it. The QID number persists across renewals; the card itself is replaced on every renewal.

  5. 7

    If the card is past expiry: handle the late-renewal grace period and fine

    Expat Resident
    1. A 90-day grace period applies after QID expiry; renewal through any channel during the grace period attracts no late-renewal fine
    2. From day 91 a late-renewal fine of QR 10 per day applies, capped at a reconciliation maximum of QR 6,000
    3. Once the card is past expiry, banks, private healthcare providers, mobile-phone operators and tenancy authorities typically refuse the card until renewal completes โ€” plan around this

    โš ๏ธ Watch out: The 90-day grace applies to renewal only. It does not extend to the 30-day window for converting a work visa into a residence permit on first entry, and it does not extend to the 30-day departure-or-transfer window after a sponsor-lodged cancellation.

  6. 8

    On job change or end of contract: transfer sponsor or handle cancellation

    Expat Resident
    1. On a change of employer, serve the contractual notice period (one month if employed for less than two years, two months if more) with the outgoing sponsor; the new sponsor lodges a fresh work-permit and residence-permit application and the QID is reprinted under the new sponsor's name. No No Objection Certificate is required from the outgoing sponsor for workers covered by the Qatar Labour Law since 9 September 2020
    2. On end of contract without a new sponsor lined up, the outgoing sponsor lodges cancellation through the Ministry of Interior; from the cancellation date you have 30 days either to exit Qatar or to take up a new sponsorship
    3. Staying past day 30 attracts a QR 10-per-day overstay fine and risks absconding-status registration with consequences for future re-entry

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: The 2018 to 2020 reforms abolished the exit-permit requirement for workers covered by the Qatar Labour Law (28 October 2018) and the No Objection Certificate for changes of employer (9 September 2020), but did not abolish the contractual notice period โ€” a worker who leaves without serving notice may face a wage-deduction claim and an administrative delay on the QID transfer.

What Could Go Wrong

Passport drops below six months remaining validity: The sponsor's file is returned at lodgement when the passport has less than six months left; renewal at your own embassy stalls the workflow.

Recovery: Renew the passport at your embassy in Qatar before the sponsor lodges; if the passport renewal itself is slow, ask the sponsor to delay lodgement rather than burn the medical and biometric validity.

Medical or biometric appointment booked privately: Self-booking the medical fitness check or the biometric capture often wastes the appointment because the lodgement file is keyed to the sponsor's electronic submission.

Recovery: Coordinate medical and biometric through the sponsor's public-relations officer so the appointment timing aligns with the planned service-centre lodgement slot.

Renewal not lodged before the 90-day grace period ends: From day 91 after QID expiry the late-renewal fine accrues at QR 10 per day, capped at QR 6,000; banking, private healthcare, mobile-phone account changes and tenancy registration typically refuse a card past expiry.

Recovery: Push the sponsor to lodge renewal immediately through Metrash2; pay the accrued late fine at the renewal transaction; for a sponsor who has gone silent, escalate to the Government Contact Centre on 109.

Residence permit cancelled and the 30-day window missed: After a sponsor-lodged cancellation, the worker has 30 days to exit Qatar or take up a new sponsorship; staying past day 30 attracts the QR 10-per-day overstay fine and risks absconding-status registration.

Recovery: Either complete an exit before day 31, or arrange a new sponsor's residence-permit application within the 30-day window; if a transfer is pending, request the new sponsor lodges the work-permit application before the window closes.

Sponsor fails to complete first-issuance within 30 days of entry: The Ministry of Interior may levy a fine of up to QR 10,000 on a sponsor that fails to facilitate the worker's contact with the competent authorities within 30 days of entry to Qatar.

Recovery: Push the sponsor's public-relations officer in writing to lodge the residence-permit conversion; the legal exposure is on the sponsor under Ministry of Interior published rules.

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
QID first-issuance card fee QR100 Paid by the sponsor through the Ministry of Interior at lodgement U.S. Department of State reciprocity disclosure records QR 100 as the QID issuance fee paid to the Ministry of Interior. Sponsor-side upstream costs (work permit, bank guarantee, medical, biometric) sit outside this line.
Annual renewal โ€” company-sponsored work residence permit QR1,000 Paid by the sponsor by debit or credit card through Metrash2, the Ministry of Interior portal, or a service centre Per Ministry of Interior published schedule republished by IDCheck Qatar: QR 1,000 per year for the standard company-sponsored work route, with a discounted three-year renewal at QR 2,400 (about a 20 per cent multi-year discount).
Three-year renewal โ€” company-sponsored work residence permit QR2,400 Paid by the sponsor at renewal lodgement Discounted multi-year option per the Ministry of Interior published schedule; cite IDCheck Qatar republication.
Annual renewal โ€” family sponsorship (spouse or adult dependant) QR500 Paid by the worker-sponsor through the same channels For a spouse or for a child aged 18 or over sponsored on the worker. Three-year renewal QR 1,200.
Annual renewal โ€” family sponsorship (child under 18) QR400 Paid by the worker-sponsor through the same channels Per the Ministry of Interior published schedule republished by IDCheck Qatar.
Annual renewal โ€” personal-sponsorship and domestic-worker categories QR300 Paid by the personal sponsor through the same channels Three-year renewal QR 720 (about a 20 per cent multi-year discount).
Replacement of lost or damaged QID card QR200 Paid by the sponsor through the Ministry of Interior U.S. Department of State reciprocity disclosure records QR 200 for replacement. A police report of loss is required before lodgement; fulfilment is typically within one week.
Change of profession on the QID QR200 Paid by the sponsor Applies where the worker's role with the same sponsor changes.
Medical fitness check QR100 Paid at the Ministry of Public Health-approved medical centre Indicative; varies by centre.
Qatar Post delivery supplement QR20 Added to the renewal or replacement transaction Applies when the sponsor selects courier delivery in Metrash2 or the Ministry of Interior portal. Some categories show QR 20 to QR 50 depending on the courier band.
Late-renewal fine (daily) QR10โ€“QR6,000 Paid by the sponsor at the late-renewal lodgement Late-renewal fine begins on the day after the 90-day grace period from QID expiry (day 91 onwards), at QR 10 per day, capped at a reconciliation maximum of QR 6,000.
Overstay fine after permit cancellation (daily) QR10 Settled at exit or transfer lodgement From day 31 after a sponsor-lodged residence-permit cancellation, the overstay fine is QR 10 per day; a sustained overstay risks absconding-status registration.
First-issuance non-completion fine QR10,000 Levied on the sponsor A sponsor that fails to complete the residence-permit and QID issuance procedures within 30 days of the worker's first entry to Qatar may attract a fine of up to QR 10,000. This cap is separate from the QR 6,000 late-renewal cap.
QID first-issuance card fee QR100
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor through the Ministry of Interior at lodgement
Notes:
U.S. Department of State reciprocity disclosure records QR 100 as the QID issuance fee paid to the Ministry of Interior. Sponsor-side upstream costs (work permit, bank guarantee, medical, biometric) sit outside this line.
Annual renewal โ€” company-sponsored work residence permit QR1,000
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor by debit or credit card through Metrash2, the Ministry of Interior portal, or a service centre
Notes:
Per Ministry of Interior published schedule republished by IDCheck Qatar: QR 1,000 per year for the standard company-sponsored work route, with a discounted three-year renewal at QR 2,400 (about a 20 per cent multi-year discount).
Three-year renewal โ€” company-sponsored work residence permit QR2,400
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor at renewal lodgement
Notes:
Discounted multi-year option per the Ministry of Interior published schedule; cite IDCheck Qatar republication.
Annual renewal โ€” family sponsorship (spouse or adult dependant) QR500
Payment:
Paid by the worker-sponsor through the same channels
Notes:
For a spouse or for a child aged 18 or over sponsored on the worker. Three-year renewal QR 1,200.
Annual renewal โ€” family sponsorship (child under 18) QR400
Payment:
Paid by the worker-sponsor through the same channels
Notes:
Per the Ministry of Interior published schedule republished by IDCheck Qatar.
Annual renewal โ€” personal-sponsorship and domestic-worker categories QR300
Payment:
Paid by the personal sponsor through the same channels
Notes:
Three-year renewal QR 720 (about a 20 per cent multi-year discount).
Replacement of lost or damaged QID card QR200
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor through the Ministry of Interior
Notes:
U.S. Department of State reciprocity disclosure records QR 200 for replacement. A police report of loss is required before lodgement; fulfilment is typically within one week.
Change of profession on the QID QR200
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor
Notes:
Applies where the worker's role with the same sponsor changes.
Medical fitness check QR100
Payment:
Paid at the Ministry of Public Health-approved medical centre
Notes:
Indicative; varies by centre.
Qatar Post delivery supplement QR20
Payment:
Added to the renewal or replacement transaction
Notes:
Applies when the sponsor selects courier delivery in Metrash2 or the Ministry of Interior portal. Some categories show QR 20 to QR 50 depending on the courier band.
Late-renewal fine (daily) QR10โ€“QR6,000
Payment:
Paid by the sponsor at the late-renewal lodgement
Notes:
Late-renewal fine begins on the day after the 90-day grace period from QID expiry (day 91 onwards), at QR 10 per day, capped at a reconciliation maximum of QR 6,000.
Overstay fine after permit cancellation (daily) QR10
Payment:
Settled at exit or transfer lodgement
Notes:
From day 31 after a sponsor-lodged residence-permit cancellation, the overstay fine is QR 10 per day; a sustained overstay risks absconding-status registration.
First-issuance non-completion fine QR10,000
Payment:
Levied on the sponsor
Notes:
A sponsor that fails to complete the residence-permit and QID issuance procedures within 30 days of the worker's first entry to Qatar may attract a fine of up to QR 10,000. This cap is separate from the QR 6,000 late-renewal cap.
Total: QR15,240

FAQ

General

Can I renew my own Qatar ID?

No. The QID is sponsor-bound: only the sponsor โ€” your employer if you are on a work-route residence permit, or your family sponsor if you are a dependant โ€” can lodge the renewal in your name and pay from a sponsor account. You cannot lodge or pay for the renewal yourself. A sponsor who is slow to renew puts you into the late-fine window even though you have no formal lever to act; raise it in writing with the sponsor's public-relations officer well before the QID expiry date.

How long is a QID valid?

The QID is issued for one, two or three years, aligned with the renewal period the sponsor chooses and the validity of the underlying residence permit. Renewal may be lodged up to three months before the existing card's expiry date. The QID number is the long-lived identifier that persists across renewals; the card itself is replaced on every renewal.

What does it cost to renew?

For a company-sponsored work-route QID the fee is QR 1,000 per year, with a discounted QR 2,400 for a three-year renewal. For a family-sponsored dependant the fee is QR 500 per year (spouse or child aged 18 or over) or QR 400 per year (child under 18). For personal-sponsorship and domestic-worker categories the fee is QR 300 per year, with QR 720 for three years. Qatar Post delivery adds about QR 20. The Ministry of Interior accepts debit and credit cards only.

What happens if I let my QID expire?

There is a 90-day grace period after expiry before fines begin. From day 91 a late-renewal fine of QR 10 per day applies, capped at QR 6,000. Once the card is past expiry, day-to-day services that rely on a current QID โ€” banking transactions, private healthcare, mobile-phone account changes, tenancy registration โ€” typically refuse the card until renewal completes.

How long does renewal take?

One to three working days through Metrash2 (the fastest channel), three to five working days through the Ministry of Interior portal with smart-card authentication, and five to seven working days at a service-centre walk-in. Some categories support same-day issuance at a service centre when all sponsor documentation is presented.

Where do I renew?

Through the Metrash2 mobile application, the Ministry of Interior online portal at portal.moi.gov.qa, or in person at any Ministry of Interior service centre โ€” main centre near Souq Al Ali in Doha, Madinat Khalifa, Industrial Area, Al Wakra, Mesaieed, or the Ras Bufontas Qatar Free Zones service office that opened in September 2024.

What if I lose my QID?

A replacement card costs QR 200, payable by the sponsor through the Ministry of Interior. Report the loss to the police, hand the police report to the sponsor, and the sponsor lodges the replacement through the same Ministry of Interior channels. Fulfilment is typically within one week.

Can my spouse and children come with me on the same QID?

No โ€” each dependant receives their own QID under your sponsorship. Sponsoring family members requires a minimum monthly basic salary; the published threshold is around QR 10,000, with a lower threshold (around QR 6,000 basic plus employer-provided accommodation) where housing is supplied by the employer. Eligible dependants are a spouse, sons under 18 (or up to 25 if in full-time university), unmarried daughters, and in some cases parents subject to ministerial approval.

Has the sponsorship system been abolished?

The employment sponsorship system was reformed materially between 2018 and 2020 but not dismantled. The exit-permit requirement was abolished for workers covered by the Qatar Labour Law on 28 October 2018 under Law No. 13 of 2018, and the No Objection Certificate previously required to change employer was abolished on 9 September 2020 under Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020. The residence permit and the QID continue to be issued in the name of a specific sponsor today, and the sponsor lodges every administrative application.

Can I change jobs in Qatar without my current employer's permission?

Yes, since 9 September 2020. A worker covered by the Qatar Labour Law may change employer after serving the contractual notice period โ€” one month if employed for less than two years, two months if more โ€” without obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the outgoing sponsor. The new sponsor lodges a fresh work-permit and residence-permit application; the QID is reprinted under the new sponsor's name.

After This Process

  • โ†’ Set a calendar reminder one month before the QID expiry date and remind the sponsor's public-relations officer to lodge renewal through Metrash2
  • โ†’ Apply for a Qatar driving licence by transfer or exchange once the QID is in hand โ€” see the Qatar driving-licence guide for the eligible-country list and the test path
  • โ†’ Open a Qatar bank account using the QID and the registered employment contract; private banks will not open an account without a current QID
  • โ†’ Register the tenancy contract with the Ministry of Municipality through the sponsor or directly โ€” see the Qatar tenancy-registration guide for the workflow
  • โ†’ If sponsoring family members, plan the family-route attestation chain (country of issue, Qatar embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar) before the dependants travel

Sources

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    Government-affiliated reciprocity page records the issuing authority as the Ministry of Interior (MOI) General Directorate of Passports, Nationality and Travel Documents Department; the QID is described as a plastic card the same size as a credit card with text in Arabic and English; the QID fee is recorded as 100 Qatari Riyals for initial issuance and 200 Qatari Riyals for replacement of lost or damaged cards. The page also documents the biometric capture requirement (fingerprints and digital facial photograph) and the two coloured passport-sized photographs required at lodgement.

    travel.state.gov
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    The Peninsula Qatar โ€” Ministry of Interior six-step Metrash renewal procedure (verbatim Ministry of Interior statement republished) 2026-05-25

    The Ministry of Interior published the residence-permit renewal procedure through the Metrash mobile application as a six-step flow: open the Residency window in the app; select Residency Procedures; select Residency Renewal; select the name for renewal; pay the fee; done. The Ministry stated that the Metrash app allows users to renew residency permits easily and conveniently without having to visit service centres, and that the new card will be delivered through Qatar Post. Cite-via-canonical for the Ministry of Interior portal which is unavailable to direct fetch.

    thepeninsulaqatar.com
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    The Peninsula Qatar โ€” Major General Mohamed Ahmed Al Atiq Al Dosari, Director General of Passports, Ministry of Interior (verbatim public statement) 2026-05-25

    The Qatar Free Zones Authority and the Ministry of Interior General Directorate of Passports inaugurated a dedicated visa service office at Ras Bufontas in September 2024. The office operates 07:30 to 13:00 with potential extensions and handles residence permit issuance, renewal, work visas, employer change and driving licence transactions for QFZ-employee residents. Cite-via-canonical for the Director General quote attributing the launch to a joint Ministry of Interior and Qatar Free Zones service-delivery initiative.

    thepeninsulaqatar.com
  4. T3
    IDCheck Qatar โ€” Ministry of Interior QID renewal procedure (republishing Ministry of Interior published fees and processing times) 2026-05-25

    Republished Ministry of Interior fee schedule and procedural facts: annual QID renewal QR 1,000 per year for company-sponsored work-route residents (QR 2,400 for a three-year discounted renewal); QR 500 per year for family-sponsored spouse or adult dependant (QR 1,200 for three years); QR 400 per year for child under 18; QR 300 per year for personal-sponsorship and domestic-worker categories (QR 720 for three years). Processing times: one to three working days via Metrash2; three to five working days via the Ministry of Interior portal with smart-card authentication; five to seven working days at a service-centre walk-in. Late-renewal penalty QR 10 per day from day 91 after expiry, capped at QR 6,000. Cite-via-canonical for the Ministry of Interior portal fee schedule.

    idcheckqatar.com
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    idcheckqatar.com
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    Gulf Labour Markets and Migration Programme (GLMM) โ€” Law No. 21 of 2015 article-level extract 2026-05-25

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    gulfmigration.grc.net
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    Law firm authoritative analysis records that the exit-permit requirement was abolished for workers covered by the Qatar Labour Law on 28 October 2018 under Law No. 13 of 2018, with a 5 per cent workforce exception by employer category; and that the No Objection Certificate previously required for a change of employer was abolished on 9 September 2020 under Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020. The sponsorship structure itself was not dismantled by these reforms.

    pinsentmasons.com
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    Fragomen Insights โ€” Permanent Residence in Qatar (Law No. 10 of 2018) 2026-05-25

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    fragomen.com
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