Lost something in Qatar? Reporting it and getting it back

Qatar is a safe country and lost things are often handed in, but only if you look in the right place and report the loss properly. Start with the place where you lost it: the metro, taxi company, airport or mall usually holds items before they ever reach the police. At the same time, file a lost report with the Ministry of Interior (MOI) through the Security section of the Metrash app, which saves a trip to a police station and lets the police contact you if your item turns up. If something was stolen rather than lost, or if it was a phone or passport, there are a few extra steps to protect your accounts and your residency. This guide covers all of these in the order you will need them. A lost Qatar ID card has its own guide (lost-qid), and so do scam messages (sms-scams-phishing).

Before you start

• Your Qatar ID (QID) number and a Metrash account, or your passport if you go to a police station
• A clear description of the item: type, brand, model, colour and anything distinctive
• The serial number or, for a phone, the IMEI number (on the box, the purchase receipt or your phone account)
• A photo of the item or the receipt, if you have one
• When and roughly where you lost it, as exactly as you can remember
• Trip details if it was in transport: taxi plate number, trip receipt, metro station and time, or flight number and date
• Another phone or a family member's phone, so you can call your mobile operator and bank quickly
• Your bank's app or phone number, to freeze cards if a wallet or phone is gone

Step by step

1. Retrace your steps and call the place first

   Most lost items are found where they were dropped, so start there before you report anything. Call or go back to the shop, restaurant, clinic, office or mall where you last had the item. Malls in Doha have customer service or information desks that keep lost property, and staff often hold on to things for a while before passing them to the police. If it is a phone, ring it from another phone and check its location with Find My (iPhone) or Find Hub (Android). Do this quickly: the sooner you ask, the more likely the item is still there.

2. Lost on the Doha Metro or Lusail Tram

   If you are still at the station, go to the station information desk straight away; staff can check what has been handed in and contact the station control room. If you have already left, call Qatar Rail customer service on 105. Tell them the line, the station, the direction of travel and the time, and describe the item. Ask where lost property is being held and how to collect it, because items are not always kept at the station where they were found.

   Read guide: Doha Metro, Metrolink and Karwa buses: cards, fares and how to ride →

3. Left it in a taxi or ride-hailing car

   For a Karwa taxi, contact Mowasalat's 24-hour customer service on 4458 8888 (the same number works on WhatsApp). Give the taxi's plate number, the date and time of the trip, where you were picked up and dropped off, and send the trip receipt if you booked through the Karwa app. For Uber and other licensed apps, open your trip history, choose the trip and use the help option for a lost item, which lets you contact the driver or open a ticket. If you paid cash for a street taxi and have no plate number, still call: the time and route can help them find the car.

   Read guide: Taxis and ride-hailing in Qatar: Karwa, Uber and other licensed apps →

4. Lost at Hamad International Airport or on a flight

   If you are still inside the terminal, go to the nearest HIA information desk. If you have already left, email the airport at contact-us@hamadairport.com.qa with the brand, model and colour, your flight number and date, the time and likely place you lost it, and a photo if you have one. Items left on a Qatar Airways plane are handled by Qatar Airways (fpco@qatarairways.com.qa or its online form), and items left on other airlines' planes by Qatar Aviation Services (llqas@qataraviation.com). The airport keeps unclaimed items for up to 30 days, but cheaper everyday items such as neck pillows, umbrellas and unbranded clothes are kept for only 7 days, and unclaimed items are then donated to charity. A suitcase that did not arrive is a separate matter: report it at the baggage services office in the arrivals hall before you leave.

5. File a lost report in Metrash

   Metrash is the Ministry of Interior's official app, and its lost report goes straight to the security departments, so you do not need to visit a police station. Open Metrash, tap Security, then Lost Report. Enter the item's name, serial number and description, attach a photo if you have one and tap Add new Loss; you can add several items in one report. On the next screen, mark the rough location on the map or type it in, describe the place, choose the security centre you want to report to and collect from, and enter the date of the loss. Tick the pledge box and tap Register. Menus in the redesigned Metrash sometimes move, so look for Lost Report under Security if the screen looks different.

   Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →

6. Or report it at a police station

   If you cannot use Metrash, for example because you are a visitor without a QID, or the item is very valuable, go to the nearest police station or security department. Take your passport or QID and everything you know about the item, including photos, receipts and serial numbers. Ask for a copy of the report or at least the report number, because banks, insurers and embassies often ask for proof that you reported the loss. Police stations are open around the clock, but a weekday daytime visit is usually quicker.

7. If it was stolen, report a theft, not a loss

   A lost report is for things you have misplaced. If someone took your item, for example a bag snatched or a phone taken from your desk, it is a crime and should be reported as a theft. If it is happening now or you are in danger, call 999. Otherwise go to the police station that covers the area where it happened and explain what was taken, when and where, and whether there were witnesses or cameras nearby. Do not try to track down or confront the person yourself, even if Find My shows where your phone is; give that location to the police instead.

   Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →

8. Lost phone: lock it and protect your accounts

   A missing phone is a risk to your bank accounts, because one-time passwords (OTPs) and WhatsApp are tied to your number. From another device, sign in to Find My (iCloud) or Find Hub (Google) and mark the phone as lost so it locks and shows a contact number; only erase it if you are sure you will not get it back, because after erasing you can no longer locate it. Then call your mobile operator from another phone (Ooredoo customers can call 111) and ask them to suspend the line so nobody can receive your codes. Freeze your bank cards in your banking app and change the passwords for your email and other key accounts.

   Read guide: Mobile plans in Qatar: prepaid, postpaid and eSIM →

9. Give the IMEI and get your number back

   Every phone has a unique 15-digit IMEI number. You can find it on the box or the purchase receipt, and the police can use it when tracing a device. Include the IMEI or serial number in your Metrash lost report or police report. To keep your number, visit one of your operator's shops with your QID to get a replacement SIM or a new eSIM; the old SIM stops working once it is replaced. A tip for the future: dial *#06# on your new phone now and save the IMEI somewhere safe.

   Read guide: Mobile plans in Qatar: prepaid, postpaid and eSIM →

10. Lost passport: police first, then your embassy

    Report a lost passport to the police, either through the Metrash lost report or at a police station, and keep the report, because most embassies ask for it. Then contact your country's embassy in Doha for a new passport or, if you need to travel urgently, an emergency travel document; each embassy sets its own documents, fees and waiting times, so check its website. Once you have the new passport, your Qatar residency must be moved onto it, which you can do in Metrash. If your passport and QID were lost together, deal with the QID as well.

    Read guide: Got a new passport? Updating it in your Qatar residence record →

11. Lost wallet: block cards and replace documents

    Freeze or cancel your bank cards in your banking app or by calling the bank as soon as you notice the wallet is gone; this matters more than anything else in it. Report cash, cheques and the wallet itself in the Metrash lost report. A lost QID needs a replacement card, which has its own process and fee. A lost driving licence can be replaced through Metrash or a traffic department, and other cards, such as your health card or company ID, through whoever issued them.

    Read guide: Lost or damaged QID: reporting it and getting a replacement →

12. Wait for news, collect your item, or hand in a find

    After you register a Metrash report, the authorities notify you if your item is found, so do not file the same report again. When you are told it has been found, go to the security centre you chose and take your QID or passport plus proof that the item is yours, such as the receipt, the box, photos or your phone unlock code. If you are the one who finds something, hand it to the owner or to the nearest police station; Qatar's Criminal Investigation Department has warned that keeping a found item for more than 7 days can lead to up to 6 months in prison and a fine of up to QAR 3,000. Never post photos of someone else's ID or bank cards online.

What it costs

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

• Waiting a few days before asking. Airport and transport lost property is only kept for a limited time, and some items for just 7 days.
• Reporting a theft as a lost item. If something was taken from you, tell the police it was stolen so it is treated as a crime.
• Forgetting to suspend your mobile line. Someone with your SIM can receive your bank OTPs and take over your WhatsApp.
• Not noting the taxi plate number or keeping the trip receipt. Without them, finding the right car is much harder.
• Erasing a lost phone straight away. Once it is erased you can no longer see where it is; lock it first and erase only as a last resort.
• Filing the same Metrash report several times. One report is enough; wait for the notification.
• Trying to recover a stolen phone yourself after seeing its location. Give the location to the police instead.
• Keeping something you found and meaning to return it later. Hand it in within 7 days.

Questions people ask

Official sources

• The Peninsula: How to report lost items through the Metrash app (April 2025) ↗
• Hamad International Airport: I've lost something ↗
• Hamad International Airport: Lost Property office and holding periods ↗
• Mowasalat (Karwa): taxi services and customer service contacts ↗
• The Peninsula: Qatar Rail contact centre and its 105 customer service number (July 2024) ↗
• Qatar Day: Not returning found items is punishable by Qatar law ↗

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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