Are you planning for your next adventure to Qatar but not ready to experience the hassle behind the visa process? The Hayya card qatar is here to make your entry smooth and take your journey to the next level.
During the FIFA 2022, Qatar introduced a FAN ID called Haya card to the tourist who wanted to attend the FIFA Football world cup. Qatar made it mandatory for the international and local fans to get a Haya Card to get the entry for the Cup. Over A million people successfully applied and made Haya Cards to attend the tournament.
After the world cup in 2023, Qatar made great use of this Hayya card and rebranded this facility after adding new different features to it and opened the platform for all business and visit visas.it has now evolved as a comprehensive guide for tourists in Qatar. This article provides the ultimate guide for understanding Haya Visa and the process of applying for a Hayya Card qatar.
What is a Hayya Card qatar?
Hayya card qatar, as known as Haya tourist Visa ( A1) is an electronic document which is issued by the Govt. of Qatar to the visitors who apply for an entry permit through Haya Portal. Apart from entry, this card provides extra features like e gate access, transportation and travel related information. This digital card includes the card holder’s name, Haya number, photo, status, passport number, QR code and other related information.
Hayya Digital Card Features
The Hayya Digital Card contains:
- Personal details: name, passport number, and photo
- Hayya number and QR code
- Entry status
It’s available in digital and physical formats.
Is a Hayya Card Mandatory for Entry to Qatar in 2024?
The mandatory requirement for all the tourists to have a Hayya Card qatar was removed after the World cup in 2022 .Now the Hayya card requirement totally depends on your purpose of visit or nationality . Tourists typically need a Hayya card (A1) while GCC residents can use GCC residents’ entry visit visa ( A3).
People who have their previous Hayya cards can use it under specific conditions.
During the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar introduced a mandatory Fan ID called the Hayya Card to facilitate entry for international and local fans. Through Hayya’s online platform, over a million visitors obtained Hayya Cards during the tournament.
In 2023, the Hayya portal was rebranded and upgraded with additional features to become a unified platform for all tourist and business visas to Qatar. Visitors who require a visa to enter Qatar can apply through the Hayya platform, which now offers several visa types.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about the Hayya Card, including the requirements and step-by-step process on how to apply for different types of visas on the Hayya portal.
Hayya Digital card
A Hayya Card qatar is a personalized and secure identification document issued by the State of Qatar to visitors who apply for an entry permit through the Hayya portal. The digital card has details including the cardholder’s name, photo, status, Hayya number, passport number, QR code and other important information.
Hayya Card was initially launched as a Fan ID issued for those attending the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. It was available in digital (mobile app) and physical (printed card) formats.
Do I need a Hayya Card qatar to enter in 2024?
The requirement for all visitors to have a Hayya Card was removed after the FIFA World Cup. In 2024, visitors to Qatar can use the Hayya portal to apply for various types of tourist and business visas to enter Qatar. Once their Hayya application is approved, they will receive a Hayya Entry Permit and can access their Hayya Card on the mobile app.
Visa Types Under Hayya Platform
The following types of visas come under Haya platform:
Tourist Visa (A):
Visa for the tourist coming from all over the world for tourism & visit purposes.
| Visa Fee | QR 100 |
| Accommodation | Hosted by friends & family |
| Hotel booking | Discover Qatar Hotel booking |
| Permit validity | 90 days |
| Duration of stay | 30 days |
Visa with ETA (A3)
Residents of countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia & Schengen nationality holders.
A valid visa & proof of residency is required
| Visa Fee | QR 100 |
| Permit validity | 30 days from the date of issue |
| Duration of stay | Single entry of 30 days after entry |
GCC Resident Entry Visa (A3)
Visa for GCC residents regardless of their profession
Visa for Companion of GCC Citizen (A4)
Visa for companions travelling with GCC citizens ( it is important for the companion to be travelling with the sponsor)
| Visa Fee | QA 100 |
| Duration of Stay | 30 days from entry |
| Permit validity | 90 days from issuance |
“Hayya With Me” Visa Program: Discontinued in 2024
The Hayya with me visa program was introduced on October 7, 2022 allowing the Hayya card qatar holder to invite 3 of their international guests to visit Qatar. This program was officially discontinued by the Govt. of Qatar on February 25, 2024.people staying under ‘Hayya with me’ visa were asked either to leave the country or choose another visa type like (A1).
Benefits of Hayya Visa
The visa process through Hayya portal is easy, transparent and hassle-free.
- Simplified Entry
Hayya card integration with e gates at the Hamad international airport make the entry simple and painless.
- Detailed Support
Haya portal gives details of transportation, events and maps to make the travel smooth
The Haya portal unifies the visa process for GCC residents, tourists and other visa options like companions with residents.
Do you know?
Haya card holders can get the pre- registration for the vehicles if they are planning to travel to Qatar by land through Abu Samra Border.
Requirements for Hayya Visa:
To ensure a smooth process, make sure to keep following things ready;
Passport
Visitors travelling to Qatar need a valid passport of at least 90 days after arriving in Qatar.
A copy of the scanned passport photo page is required for the application process.
The file should be less than 2 mb and in JPEG OR JPG format. The machine readable zone MRZ should be visible to scan properly. If you do not have a last name. Make sure to provide your father’s name as a surname.
Accommodation
Visitors coming to Qatar must confirm their plans to stay in Qatar . Accommodation requirements change according to the Visa type you are applying for. For example if you already have someone in Qatar they can provide you accommodation. The Qatari resident should register his property on Haya Portal and add guests to it. The applicant should complete all the process before applying for Haya Visa.
The resident of Qatar can invite 5 guests under his property.
If you have nobody to HOST YOU in Qatar, you have to make hotel reservations before your application through different online platforms. And in some particular cases you have to book a hotel through Discover Qatar website.
If you are staying in a hotel, proof of booking ( accommodation details) should be uploaded on the portal under the “ other platform booking” page on the Haya Portal.
A visitor should keep all the details like “host’s contact number & address’ and accommodation’s details e.g hotel info .
Passport size photo
Photo requirements
Size: 30(W) / 40 (H) mm
Resolution : 720 px minimum
Passport size photos of high quality will be required for the process. The photo should be according to given requirements;
Photo format should only be in JPG OR JPEG.
Photo size should not be more than 2MB in size.
The photo must be coloured ( not black & white) and must be latest.(not older than 12 months)
The background should be plain white or greyish.
The face should be covering 70% to 80% of the full size picture.
The head must be in the centre and eyes should be open ( not closed or covered by hair).
Picture should be captured in neutral expression ( no smile or frown)
Do not wear sunglasses.
If you wear glasses normally, make your eyes totally visible to the front camera.
If you cover your head or you are a female and take a hijab for religious reasons, your face should be completely clear and the scarf should not cover your forehead.
Give your front profile photo.( no side poses)
Try to take photos professionally, selfies in mobile phones are not recommended.
Residence permit or Visa
You need to upload a residence permit card or visa If you are applying for GCC Resident Visa (A2), Visa with ETA (A3), or visa for companion of GCC resident visa to Hayya platform. Your Residence permit should be valid when you are entering Qatar.
Visa fee
Some visas like tourist visa, GCC resident and visas with ETA need some fee to pay for the application ( excluding some countries)
Hayya Entry permit
You are going to receive a Hayya entry permit when your Haya application is approved . thos permit with all of your detail is required when entering in Qatar.
Return flight ticket
This is mandatory for a visitor to book a return flight ticket under all visa types when travelling to Qatar just to make sure you are not going to stay in the country without a specific period of time. ( excluding those who are going to enter through land border)
Health insurance
According to Qatari rules, any visitor who is visiting the country for more than 30 days requires visitor’s health insurance provided by a MOPH-approved provider.
Insurance fees usually cost QR50 for 30 days.
The requirement of insurance is to show this during the entry in the Qatar ( not required when applying for Haya visa process )
| Requirement | Details |
| Passport | Must be valid for at least 3 months. |
| Accommodation | Confirmed hotel booking or “Host Family and Friends” registration before applying. |
| Passport-Size Photo | Needs to meet official size and clarity specifications. |
| Residence Permit/Visa | Required for specific visa types like A2, A3, and A4. |
| Visa Fee | Applicable based on the type of visa being applied for. |
| Hayya Entry Permit | Must be shown during travel to Qatar. |
| Return Flight Ticket | Needed for entry during travel to demonstrate departure plans. |
| Health Insurance | Required if stays exceeding 30 days. |
Hayya Card qatar Application
Following documents are required when applying for Hayya card:
- A scanned copy of passport
- Clear passport size picture
- Scanned copy of Residence permit card or residence visa in some cases
- Contact details in case of emergency
If you are planning to stay with your hosts in Qatar, they must enroll their property and should have added you as their guest for property in the Haya platform before making the application and if you are staying in the hotel , don’t forget to add details and evidence of your booking to the Haya platform.
How To Apply For Hayya Card Visa
Let’s talk about the steps involved in applying for Haya card visa in detail;
Step 1. Go to official Hayya visa website
Click on the Hayya website link here
In the centre of the page, the option for ‘apply for Hayya” is available
OR
You can click on My Hayya alternatively
Step 2. Create your account on Hayya
You will see two options:
Sign in
Click here to Sign up
If you already have account, you can simply login by entering your email and password
& if its your first time you can go to the second option “click here to sign up”
- Enter your email and click on “send verification code”
- You will receive OTP ( one time password ) on your email, add that OTP on the verification box and verify your email address.
- Make sure to enter OTP in the given time ( it is usually of few seconds)
Step 3. Enter your Details ( name, surname and password)
After verifying your email, enter your name, surname and choose your strong password and confirm it.
Congrats,Your account is activated.
step 4. Login
Now you have created your own account , you can login to your account
Enter your email and password and press login
Step 5. Hit on “Apply for Hayya”
Step 6. Select your visa application category
1st, from the drop down menu, select your visa category.
You will be asked for the purpose of your visit for almost all visa types ( except Hayya with me, which is now suspended)
Step 7: upload your photo
Upload a latest clear HD photo of yourself of 30 x 40 mm size. Photo should not be more than 2MB in size.check photo guidelines given in the article to avoid any problem.
Step 8: upload your passport and other details
/
Upload the picture of the first page of your passport in full color.
The automated system will recognize your details automatically and will be added to your application.
If you find any problem or error in automatic recognition, you can enter details manually.
If you find the “validate user” option inactive, please enter your passport type.
Make sure to check all the details before validating the user.
If you do not have any surname, you can add your father’s name as surname. You have to add the first page and last page of the passport in a single JPEG file for verification.
Step 9: Add residence information
Select your country of birth and residence
If you are applying for a GCC resident visa or Visa with ETA , you have to add residence permit card or visa card.
For a GCC resident visa, applicants must also add a profession.
Step 10: add your accommodation detail
Now is the time to select your accommodation type.
If you are staying with the hosts, please select ‘family & friend’ ( you should be added as their host on their property earlier before application).
If you select ‘other accommodation’ give the details of the accommodation by clicking on the ‘upload other booking platform’.
Step 11: enter contact details
Please enter your phone number and other emergency contact number.
Click on the ‘review & submit’ button.
Keep checking your email for the application updates.
You will be informed through the email if your visa type requires any fees and an online link will be provided to submit your fee.
Once your application is approved, you will receive your Hayya Entry Permit through email. You can print it or use it digitally while entering Qatar.
More Information On Hayya Card
Here is the other important information you need to know before applying for Haya Card:
Hayya Card Validity
Its original purpose was tied to the World Cup; its usage has been extended to support tourism and ease entry for visitors to Qatar under specific visa schemes.
The validity period is usually up to 90 days from the date of issue. The stay is for 30 days from the date of entry which can be extended for another 30 days in some cases.
“Hayya with me” visa was a multiple entry visa which means the visa holder could travel multiple times but as it was issued specifically for WORLD CUP 2022 and now invalid in February,2024.
How to Check Hayya Card Validity
Login to your Hayya portal ( add hayya portal link) ( as described above in the article in detail add link of above paragraph off how to login to hayya )
Navigate to your profile and check the visa details attached to your Hayya card.
Hayya Validity will be displayed with other details.
Hayya Card Price
Hayya Visa card for almost all the visa types is QR 100 ( except some specific countries).
(Free of cost visa using Voucher code option was available for only one visa type “Hayya with me” which is now invalid)
Hayya Card Approval Time
The Approval time for Hayya visa may vary for different visa types.
It usually takes 1-3 business days for standard applications.
It takes almost 3-5 business days for GCC residents.
Delays may occur when there is some problem or incompleteness in the visa documents.
Hayya Card Tracking
- Login to your Hayya portal using email and password
- Go to the MY Hayya dashboard.
- You can track the status of your application on MY Hayya dashboard.
Hayya Card Application Status Meaning
| Hayya Status | Status Meaning | What To Do |
| Draft | Your application is pending submission | Complete and submit the application |
| Pending | Your application is being processed | None |
| Approved | Your Hayya is finally approved | None |
| Rejected | You can update and resubmit up to 5 times | Fix the error and resubmit |
| Data Error | You can update and resubmit up to 5 times | Fix the error and resubmit |
| Request for Correction | You can update and resubmit due to non-compliant photo and/or document | Upload new photo/passport scan |
| Cancelled | Your application is cancelled | None |
Hayya Card Application Error
Most common reasons for application error are:
- Photo is not according to the requirement
- Passport photo does not meet the standard size or clarity
- Expired passport
- Not meeting eligibility criteria
In case of any problem, try to re-upload your photo and passport photo again with more clarity.
If you still face errors, try to contact Hayya Helpline.
How To Get Hayya Card
Once your application is approved, you can get your Hayya card in digital form on your mobile phone through Hayya Mobile App.
How To Get Physical Hayya Card
In a digital world of 2024, there is no need to get a physical card when everyone is converting to an online system. As of the latest updates, there is no direct option to request a physical Hayya Card after application. You can access all the services on a digital app.
How To Download Hayya Card?
You can download your Hayya card on the phone using the Hayya application.
- Go to your Hayya application and apply for the digital Hayya card, once its approved you can keep your Hayya card in the App
Hayya Card Mobile App
You can download Hayya mobile app on your Android or IOS device by visiting Playstore / App store or by clicking on the following links:
Add links of play store and app store ( doha guides )
Hayya Card Registration on Mobile App
You can make your Hayya card registration on Mobile app as well. You can login to your mobile app through the same credentials you used on your Hayya website login.
Hayya With Me Suspended For Some Countries
“Hayya with me” visa option used to be suspended for some countries like India,Pakistan & Nigeria etc. The reason for the suspension was unclear and there were no official announcements regarding this issue.
As for now, “Hayya with me” visa is invalid for everybody.
Hayya Card Call Centre & Customer Service
Hayya card contact number : you can contact Helpline incase of any problem through following numbers
Hayya Card Mobile Application
To use your digital card, start by downloading the Hayya to Qatar app. You can access the app through the following links:
2022 (inside Qatar) or (+974) 4441 2022 (International).
Email for Hayya Card : [email protected].
