Guides / Government apps & documents / Metrash, Hukoomi & Tawtheeq
Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app
How to register for Metrash with your Qatar ID, add your spouse and children, and use it for residency, visas, traffic fines and payments, plus what to do when it will not activate.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Cost
- Free app; each government service has its own fee
- Who
- Anyone with a valid Qatar ID (not visitors)
- You need
- QID, date of birth and a Qatari mobile number linked to your QID
- Time
- About 10 minutes to register if your number is in your name
Metrash is the official app of Qatar's Ministry of Interior (MOI). It is where residents renew residence permits, apply for and pay for family visas, check and pay traffic fines, request certificates and keep digital copies of their ID, licence and vehicle papers. The redesigned Metrash app launched in December 2024 and replaced the old Metrash2, which stopped working on 1 March 2025. You can only register once you have a Qatar ID (QID), and activation codes are sent by SMS to a Qatari mobile number linked to your QID, so get your QID and phone line sorted first. This guide walks through registering, adding your family, the services people use most, paying, and fixing the problems that stop most people.
Before you start
- Your Qatar ID (QID) number; visitors and people still waiting for their QID cannot register
- Your date of birth exactly as on your QID
- A Qatari mobile line (Ooredoo or Vodafone) registered under your own QID, with the SIM in your phone so you can receive the SMS code
- A smartphone running at least iOS 13 (iPhone) or Android 10, as MOI required when the old app was switched off
- A password you will remember; you use it again when activating a second phone
- For a spouse or child without a line in their own name: their QID number, their QID expiry date and the mobile number they will use
- A debit or credit card that works for online payments (Apple Pay is also supported)
- An email address you check, because some documents, such as visa copies, are emailed to you
Step by step
Make sure your phone number is in your name
Metrash sends its activation code by SMS to a Qatari mobile number linked to your QID. If your SIM was bought by your employer, a friend or your sponsor, the number is registered to their QID, not yours, and activation will fail. Ask Ooredoo or Vodafone to transfer the line to your QID, or buy a new SIM in your own name; bring your QID to the shop. If you are a wife or child whose line is in the sponsor's name, you can skip this and use family registration instead (step 6).
Read guide: Get your Qatar ID (residence permit) →Download the official Metrash app
Search for Metrash in the App Store or Google Play and check that the publisher is Qatar's Ministry of Interior. If you still have the old Metrash2 on your phone, delete it: it was switched off on 1 March 2025 and no longer works. Update your phone first if it is older than iOS 13 or Android 10. The app itself is free; you only pay for the government services you use.
Register with your QID
The app opens in Arabic, so first tap the language button at the top right and choose English if you prefer. Enter your QID number and tap Login; as a new user you are taken to the registration page. Enter your date of birth, your mobile number and a password (twice), then tap Next. Type in the code sent to you by SMS, log in with your password and accept the terms and conditions. If you had registered on Metrash2, you can try your old password or tap Forgot password.
Add a second phone if you need one
Metrash can be active on two devices, for example your phone and a tablet. On the second device, enter your QID and the same password you used on the first, then enter the one-time code that is sent to your registered number; it is valid for about 10 minutes. If you sell or lose a phone, deactivate Metrash from Settings on the app, where you can choose to deactivate this device or all devices. This stops anyone else using your account.
Choose your language
Metrash is available in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Hindi and Urdu. You can change the language at any time from the settings menu, reached from the icon at the top of the screen. Official names on documents and some service pages may still appear in Arabic, which is normal. If a word is unclear, switching briefly to Arabic and back can help you match it with what a service centre tells you.
Register your spouse and children
Since August 2025 you can let your wife and children activate Metrash on their own phones even if their mobile number is registered in your name. Open the main menu, go to Authorisation (some versions show it as Delegation), then Register Relatives (or Relative Registration). Enter the relative's QID number, the mobile number they will use and their QID expiry date, then tap Add. Once the request is confirmed, they install Metrash and activate it with that number, with no visit to a service centre. Children under 18 do not normally need their own Metrash; as sponsor you handle their services from your account.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →Learn the main sections and your digital wallet
The home screen groups services into areas such as Residency, Visa, Traffic and Security, and there is an Inquiries area for checking things like the people you sponsor, your vehicles, visas and travel restrictions. Your profile includes a digital wallet holding copies of documents such as your QID, driving licence and vehicle registration. MOI introduced the wallet so you can show these documents to MOI departments and traffic or security patrols, but carry your physical QID too, because banks, hospitals and private offices may still ask for the card. Take a few minutes to tap through each section before you need it urgently.
Handle residency and family services
In the Residency and Visa sections you can renew residence permits for yourself and the family you sponsor, apply for family residence and visit visas, and pay visa fees. When you pay a visa fee in the Visa section, a copy of the visa is emailed to your registered email address. The Residency section also lets a sponsor issue a no-objection certificate for a resident who needs to stay outside Qatar longer than the legal period. If you work for a company, its PRO (the staff member who handles government paperwork) usually renews your own permit, but you can still track it in Metrash.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Check and pay traffic fines
Go to Traffic, then Violations, to see fines on vehicles and licences linked to your QID and pay them. Since April 2026 there is also an Other Vehicle Violations option: enter the other person's plate number and QID, tap Pay Violation Amount and choose a payment method, which lets you settle fines for a relative or friend. Paying promptly matters because unpaid fines can block vehicle registration (Istimara) renewal and other transactions. The Traffic section also covers licence and vehicle services.
Read guide: Traffic fines in Qatar: check, pay, object, and avoid the travel ban →Pay fees and financial claims
Each service shows its fee before you confirm, and you pay inside the app by bank card or Apple Pay. Since April 2026, claims raised by the General Directorate of Passports, such as fees, fines or travel ticket costs, can also be paid online: open Security, then Financial Claims, choose Personal or Establishment, pick the type of claim, open Records and pay. The same service is on the MOI website. Keep the receipt screen or take a screenshot until you see the payment reflected.
Keep your registered mobile number up to date
If you change your number, Metrash codes will keep going to the old one until you update it. On the MOI website (portal.moi.gov.qa), open Inquiries, then Metrash, then Metrash for Individuals. Enter your QID number, date of birth and the new mobile number, complete the on-screen code and submit the change. The new number must be registered under your QID, so transfer it with your telecom provider first.
Get help when you are stuck
Start with the Forgot password option on the login screen, and check that your SIM is in the phone and can receive SMS. For questions about government services you can call the Government Contact Centre on 109 (or +974 4406 9999 from abroad), and MOI's general line is 2367111. If activation still fails, or your account details are wrong, visit an MOI service centre or Unified Services Centre with your QID and phone. Describe exactly which screen or error message you see, as this speeds things up.
What it costs
| Downloading and using the Metrash app | Free |
| Government services (renewals, visas, fines, certificates) | Varies; the app shows the exact fee before you pay |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Trying to register with a SIM that is in your employer's or a friend's name; the SMS code goes nowhere useful. Move the line to your QID first.
- Keeping the old Metrash2 app and wondering why it will not open; it was switched off on 1 March 2025.
- Downloading a look-alike app or using a third-party website to pay fines; use only the official MOI app and portal.moi.gov.qa.
- Changing your phone number and forgetting to update Metrash, then being locked out when a code is needed.
- Sharing your Metrash password or one-time code with agents or callers; MOI services are done through your own login or a formal authorisation in the app.
- Leaving the digital wallet as your only ID; carry your physical QID because not every office accepts the app copy.
- Not deactivating Metrash on a phone you sell or give away.
Questions people ask
Can I use Metrash if my mobile number is not in my name?
Not for your own registration: the activation code goes to a number linked to your QID, so ask Ooredoo or Vodafone to transfer the line or get a SIM in your name. The exception is wives and children, whose sponsor can register them through Authorisation > Register Relatives even if the line is in the sponsor's name.
Does Metrash2 still work?
No. MOI switched Metrash2 off on 1 March 2025. Download the current Metrash app and log in with your QID; your Metrash2 password may still work, or you can reset it.
My SMS activation code is not arriving. What can I do?
Check the SIM registered to your QID is in the phone, has signal and can receive SMS, and wait a few minutes before asking for a new code. If you changed numbers, update it on the MOI website under Inquiries > Metrash > Metrash for Individuals. If it still fails, visit an MOI service centre with your QID.
Can my wife use Metrash on her own phone?
Yes. Since August 2025 the sponsor can register a spouse or children from the Authorisation (Delegation) menu with their QID, QID expiry date and the mobile number they will use. After confirmation, they activate Metrash on their own phone with that number.
Can I use Metrash on two phones?
Yes, Metrash can be active on two devices. Log in on the second device with your QID and password and enter the one-time code sent to your registered number.
Is the QID in the Metrash wallet accepted instead of the card?
MOI introduced the digital wallet so documents can be shown to MOI departments and traffic or security patrols. Other organisations such as banks, clinics and employers may still ask for the physical card, so keep it with you.
Can I pay a friend's or relative's traffic fine?
Yes. Since April 2026, Traffic > Violations > Other Vehicle Violations lets you pay using the other person's plate number and QID.
Do visitors or children need Metrash?
Visitors cannot register because they have no QID. Children under 18 do not normally need their own account; the parent or sponsor handles their services from their Metrash.
Official sources
- Ministry of Interior portal ↗
- Qatar Living: Qatar government services 2026, what changed ↗
- Gulf Times: Metrash eases access for relatives (Aug 2026) ↗
- QNA: Financial claims payment via Metrash (Apr 2026) ↗
- The Peninsula: Other Vehicle Violations option (Apr 2026) ↗
- Qatar Tribune: Metrash2 discontinued from 1 March 2025 ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.