Guides / Visas & residency / Residence permit & QID
Lost or damaged QID: reporting it and getting a replacement
What to do the moment your Qatar ID is lost, stolen or damaged: report it, use your digital ID in the meantime, order a new card through Metrash or an MOI service centre, and get back into Qatar if it went missing abroad.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Replacement fee
- QAR 200, plus QAR 20 for Q-Post delivery
- Where
- Metrash app or an MOI service centre
- Lost abroad
- Return Permit via your sponsor, usually QAR 200
- Meanwhile
- Show the digital QID in Metrash or the QDI app
Your Qatar ID (QID) is the card that proves you live in Qatar legally, so losing it is stressful but very fixable. The law asks you to tell the authorities as soon as you realise the card is lost or damaged, so act the same day. Inside Qatar the order is simple: report the loss, use the digital copy of your QID in the Metrash or QDI app while you wait, then order a replacement card, usually for QAR 200, through Metrash or an MOI service centre. If the card is lost while you are abroad, you will normally need a Return Permit arranged with your employer or sponsor before you fly back. This guide also covers what to do if your passport went missing too, and what to do if you find an ID card.
Before you start
- Your QID number; it is on photos or copies of your card, on your Metrash profile, your bank records and your work contract
- Your passport, which is used to verify your identity at a service centre
- Metrash installed and activated on your phone, linked to your Qatari mobile number
- A recent passport-size photo in case the service centre asks for one
- A debit or credit card for online payment; service centres also take card payments
- The damaged card itself, if your QID is broken, cracked or unreadable rather than lost
- Your delivery address and a phone number you answer, if you want Q-Post to deliver the new card
- If you are abroad: a copy of a police report from the country where you lost it, and your employer's or sponsor's contact details
Step by step
Search properly, then act the same day
Check your car, office, bag and any place where you last showed the card, such as a bank, clinic or hotel reception; staff often keep cards they forget to return. If it is truly gone, do not wait. Qatar's rules require you to inform the authorities as soon as you learn that your ID is lost or damaged, and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) reminds residents that the card is their only proof of legal residence. Reporting it quickly also protects you if someone else tries to use it.
Report the loss in Metrash
Open the Metrash app, go to the Security section and choose Lost Report. Enter what you lost and any details, add a photo if you have one, mark roughly where and when you lost it on the map, and choose the security centre for the report. Tick the pledge box and tap Register. This saves a trip to a police station, and the authorities contact you if the item is found. If you cannot use Metrash, report it at the nearest police station or security department and ask for a copy of the report.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Use your digital QID while you wait
Your QID is stored in the digital wallet in your Metrash profile and in the Qatar Digital Identity (QDI) app from the Ministry of Interior. MOI introduced these so you can show your ID to its departments and to traffic or security patrols on your phone. Banks, hospitals, hotels and private offices may still insist on the physical card, so treat the digital copy as a stopgap and order the replacement straight away. Keep a photo of both sides of your new card somewhere safe for next time.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Order a replacement card in Metrash
In Metrash, open the Residency services and choose the option to replace a lost or damaged ID. Confirm your details, choose whether to collect the card or have it delivered by Q-Post, and pay online. The replacement fee is QAR 200, and delivery adds QAR 20. Menu names in the redesigned Metrash change from time to time, so if you cannot find the option, use the search in the app or go to a service centre. You must be inside Qatar to use this service.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Or apply at an MOI service centre
If Metrash will not let you apply, or you prefer to do it in person, go to an MOI service centre that handles residency. Take your passport, a passport-size photo and a bank card, and say you need a replacement for a lost or damaged ID. Staff check your passport against your file, take the fee and arrange your new card. Arrive early, as centres are busiest mid-morning, and check the centre's working hours before you go.
Replacing a damaged card
A card that is cracked, peeling, bent or has an unreadable chip should be replaced, because machines at banks, clinics and airport e-gates may reject it. Use the same lost or damaged ID service in Metrash or at a service centre and choose damaged instead of lost. You do not need a lost report for a damaged card, but keep the old card and hand it in if you are asked. Sources list the same QAR 200 fee for damaged cards, but check the amount Metrash shows before you pay.
Know who applies for family and workers
Your residence permit is tied to your sponsor, which is your employer if you came on a work visa, or your husband or father if you came on a family visa. Sponsors can usually apply for their family members from their own Metrash account. Many companies prefer their PRO, the staff member who handles government paperwork, to arrange replacements, so tell HR on the same day. Domestic workers' cards are replaced through their employer.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →Lost it abroad: get a Return Permit
Without your QID, airlines and Qatar immigration may not accept you as a resident, so sort this out before you fly. First report the loss to the police where you are and keep the report. Then contact your employer or sponsor in Qatar: they can apply for a Return Permit, a temporary document that lets you re-enter, through Metrash or an MOI service centre. For a card lost within six months of leaving Qatar the fee is usually QAR 200, and the permit is sent by email. Print it, carry it with your passport and check with your airline before travelling.
Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →Get your new card after you return
A Return Permit only gets you back into the country; it does not replace your card. Once you are back in Qatar, apply for the replacement QID through Metrash or an MOI service centre, as in steps 4 and 5. The Return Permit is valid for a limited time, often 14 or 30 days, so use it within that period. Your residence permit itself must still be valid for any of this to work, so check its expiry date in Metrash.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →If your passport was lost too
Report the lost passport to the police and to your embassy, which will issue a new passport or an emergency travel document. Once you have the new passport, move your Qatar residence onto it: in Metrash, open Residency and use the option to change passport data, scan the main page of the new passport and pay the fee, and Q-Post then delivers your updated QID. If you are abroad, your sponsor's Return Permit application will need the lost passport certificate and copies of the old and new passports. Once reported, the old passport is cancelled and cannot be used even if it turns up.
Found your old card, or someone else's?
Once a replacement is issued, your old card is cancelled, so do not use it even if it turns up; hand it in at a service centre or police station. If you find another person's QID, take it to the nearest police station or security department, where they can contact the owner through MOI records. Do not post photos of the card on social media, as this exposes the owner's personal details. Hotels, banks and malls also pass found cards to the police.
Update anything linked to the card
Your new card keeps the same QID number, so most accounts will carry on working. Some banks, telecom companies and clinics scan the card or record its expiry date and serial number, so show them the new card next time you visit. If you had Tawtheeq, Qatar's national login, set up with a smart-card reader or the card itself, test that it still works. Keep a photo of the front and back of the new card in a secure place.
Read guide: Tawtheeq (National Authentication System): signing up and logging in →
What it costs
| Replacement QID (lost or damaged) | QAR 200 |
| Q-Post delivery of the new card (optional) | QAR 20 |
| Return Permit, ID lost abroad, out of Qatar less than 6 months | QAR 200 |
| Return Permit, out of Qatar more than 6 months | QAR 500 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Waiting days before reporting the loss; the rules say to inform the authorities as soon as you know
- Relying only on the digital QID for weeks; banks, hospitals and private offices may still ask for the physical card
- Booking a flight back to Qatar without a Return Permit after losing the card abroad
- Not telling your employer or sponsor, who often has to apply or approve the replacement for you
- Using the old card after it turns up, even though a replacement has cancelled it
- Forgetting to move your residence to a new passport after replacing a lost passport
- Posting a photo of a found ID card on social media instead of handing it to the police
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to replace a lost QID?
The replacement fee is QAR 200, and Q-Post delivery adds QAR 20 if you choose it. The same QAR 200 is listed for a damaged card. Fees can change, so check the amount Metrash shows before you pay.
Can I use the QID in Metrash instead of the card?
For MOI departments and traffic or security checks, the digital QID in Metrash or the QDI app is designed to be shown on your phone. Many banks, hospitals and private offices still ask for the physical card. Use the digital copy only until your replacement arrives.
I lost my QID on holiday. Can I fly back to Qatar?
Not safely on your passport alone. Report the loss to the local police, then ask your employer or sponsor to apply for a Return Permit; it is usually QAR 200 if you have been away less than six months, and it is emailed to you. Some residents report being allowed in at the airport, but airlines may refuse boarding, so get the permit first.
Do I need a police report to replace a lost QID in Qatar?
You should report the loss, and the easiest way is the Lost Report service in the Security section of Metrash. If you cannot use the app, go to the nearest police station. If the card was lost abroad, a police report from that country is needed for the Return Permit.
Will my QID number change?
No. The replacement card carries the same QID number, because the number belongs to you, not to the card. Only the physical card is reissued.
My card is cracked but still readable. Should I replace it?
Yes, if banks, clinics or the airport e-gates struggle to read it. Use the lost or damaged ID option in Metrash or at a service centre and choose damaged. The fee is the same as for a lost card.
I lost my passport and my QID together. What do I do first?
Report both to the police, then go to your embassy for a new passport or emergency travel document. Next, replace the QID and move your residence to the new passport using the change passport option in the Residency section of Metrash. If you are abroad, your sponsor needs the lost passport certificate and copies of both passports for the Return Permit.
What should I do if I find someone's QID?
Hand it in at the nearest police station or security department so it can be returned to the owner. Do not share photos of it online. If you later find your own old card after getting a replacement, hand it in too, because it is no longer valid.
Official sources
- The Peninsula: How to report lost items through the Metrash app (April 2025) ↗
- DohaGuides: Qatar ID card, including lost and damaged replacement (updated November 2025) ↗
- DohaGuides: Lost your Qatar ID while abroad (updated November 2025) ↗
- The Peninsula: How to update passport details via Metrash (June 2025) ↗
- The Peninsula: Qatar Digital Identity (QDI) app features ↗
- Gulf Times: Ministry urges residents to carry ID cards at all times ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.