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Mobile plans in Qatar: prepaid, postpaid and eSIM
How to get a Qatar mobile number as a visitor or resident, choose between Ooredoo and Vodafone, prepaid and postpaid, and keep the line registered in your own name so Metrash and other services work.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Time
- Minutes online or in a shop; switching operator about 1–2 working days
- Documents
- Passport (visitors and new arrivals) or QID (residents)
- Cost
- SIM QAR 0–35; prepaid packs from about QAR 10; Ooredoo postpaid from QAR 100/month
- Operators
- Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar
A local mobile number is one of the first things you need in Qatar. Government apps such as Metrash, banks and many online services send one-time codes by SMS, and they expect the number to be registered under your own Qatar ID (QID). There are two operators, Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar, and both sell prepaid (pay as you go) and postpaid (monthly bill) plans, with physical SIMs or eSIMs. The usual order is: get a prepaid or visitor line with your passport when you land, then, once your QID is issued, put a line in your own name on your QID and choose the plan that fits. This guide covers the choices, sample prices from the operators' own 2026 tariffs, international calling, switching operator, family lines, scam messages and what to do before you leave Qatar.
Before you start
- A valid passport if you do not have a QID yet
- Your QID (original card or the digital QID in Metrash) once your residence permit is issued
- An unlocked phone; for eSIM, a phone that supports eSIM (most recent iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones do)
- An email address and a bank card if you buy online or through the operator app
- If you already have a Qatar number: confirm whose QID it is registered under before using it for Metrash
- A list of the countries you call most, so you can compare international packs
- For postpaid: be ready for a possible deposit or credit check, which the operator decides
- For switching operator: your current number active, with any final bill paid
Step by step
Work out which stage you are at
What you can get depends on whether you have a QID yet. Visitors and new arrivals without a QID can buy a prepaid or visitor line using their passport. Residents with a QID can get any prepaid or postpaid plan in their own name. Many people start with a passport-based prepaid line in their first days, then move the line to their QID once the residence permit is issued. Plan for this change now so you do not forget it later.
Read guide: Your first 30 days in Qatar →Choose between Ooredoo and Vodafone
Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar are the only two mobile operators, and both cover almost all of the population with 4G and 5G. Prices for similar packs are close, so the choice usually comes down to the packs that suit you, the international rates for the countries you call, and which shops and app you find easier. Ooredoo calls its prepaid brand Hala and its postpaid plans Shahry+ and Qatarna+. Vodafone sells prepaid recharges such as Combo+, Flex and data packs, and Ahlan packs for people without a QID. You can switch later and keep your number, so the first choice is not permanent.
As a visitor or before your QID, buy a passport line
With only a passport you can buy an Ooredoo Visitor SIM or a Vodafone Ahlan pack, in a shop, at an authorised outlet or online (online sign-up usually asks for a passport photo and a live selfie). These are prepaid bundles of local data and minutes valid for a few days up to 30 days, and you can recharge them. Vodafone's Ahlan packs are only for customers without a QID and not for people whose visa has been cancelled. Keep the receipt and note the number, because your employer, bank and landlord will ask for it.
Read guide: Visiting Qatar: visa-free entry, Hayya and visit visas explained →Once your QID is issued, get a line in your own name
As a resident, buy or update your line using your own QID. If you started on a passport line, ask the same operator to update the account to your QID; this does not happen automatically. Do not keep using a SIM that is registered to a friend, a previous tenant or your company's PRO. The person whose ID a line is registered under is legally the customer and is responsible for its bills and its use.
Read guide: Get your Qatar ID (residence permit) →Check the line is registered to your QID
Metrash, the Ministry of Interior app, is activated on a mobile number that is registered under your own QID, and it sends codes to that number. Banks and many other online services also send one-time codes by SMS, and if the number belongs to someone else you can lose access to your own accounts when they cancel it. You can check which lines are registered to you in your operator's app or by asking in a shop with your QID. If a line is in the wrong name, ask the operator about transferring it to your QID; otherwise get a new SIM in your name.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Decide between prepaid and postpaid
Prepaid suits people who want no bill and full control: you buy a recharge (for example a data, voice or combined pack) and it lasts a set number of days. Postpaid is a monthly plan with a fixed rental, more data and extras, billed after use; it needs a QID and may need a deposit or credit card. Ooredoo's Shahry+ plans start at QAR 100 a month in its June 2026 tariff, with higher Qatarna+ plans that add roaming and other benefits. Postpaid plans can carry a minimum term or early-cancellation charges, so read the terms before signing. Prepaid lines expire if you stop recharging, so recharge before the validity ends if you want to keep the number.
Get an eSIM or switch to one
Both operators sell eSIMs online and in their apps: you choose a plan, verify your ID, pick eSIM, and install the profile by QR code or directly in the app. Vodafone says converting an existing physical SIM to eSIM is free, and Ooredoo's tariff lists a free SIM replacement when you swap a physical SIM for an eSIM. Check first that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to another network. Do not delete an eSIM profile from your phone unless you are sure, because reinstalling it may need a new QR code and another ID check.
Set up international calls and roaming
Standard international call rates are high, so if you call home often, subscribe to a country pack. Ooredoo's Hala tariff lists low-cost 'Keys' for countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt for a weekly fee of QAR 1–2, and Vodafone has similar weekly opt-ins and international calling cards. Before you travel, buy a roaming pass in the operator app (for example Ooredoo Passport or Vodafone Passport Pack); without one, roaming calls and data are charged at high standard rates. Turn off data roaming on your phone if you have not bought a pass.
Understand app calls (VoIP)
Qatar's telecom regulator has said that no law forbids people from using internet calling apps for their own calls; only Ooredoo and Vodafone are licensed to sell voice services to the public. In practice, voice and video calls through some free apps, such as WhatsApp and FaceTime, have been unreliable or have failed on local networks over the years, and the situation can vary. Messaging in these apps works normally. Test the apps you rely on before an important call, and use your operator's international pack or a licensed paid service as a backup.
Add lines for your family
Each adult family member should ideally have a line registered under their own QID, so their Metrash and bank codes reach their own phone. Ooredoo also sells family postpaid bundles (Shahry+ Family and Baytna) that combine several lines on one bill, an add-on for children, and Multi-SIM add-ons that share a Qatarna+ number with extra devices. Remember that you are responsible for every line registered under your QID, including any you hand to a relative or worker. Your children's or spouse's lines can be moved to their own QID once they have one.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →Switch operator and keep your number
Number portability lets you move to the other operator with the same number. Start with the new operator, not the old one: apply online, in the app or in a shop with your QID or passport, and keep your old SIM active until the move completes. Vodafone asks you to confirm by sending SWITCH to 151 from your current line. The regulator says a complete request takes about one working day, and operators advise up to two. The port itself is free, but you still pay any outstanding bill, and unused prepaid credit and bundles are lost.
Watch for scam messages, and cancel before you leave
Fake SMS messages often claim to be about unpaid traffic fines, parcels, bank accounts or Ministry of Interior matters and link to copycat sites. Check fines only in Metrash or on official .gov.qa sites, never enter card details or one-time codes from a link, and confirm any request by calling the organisation's official number. Before you leave Qatar for good, pay your final postpaid bill and cancel postpaid lines in the app or a shop, and move bank and other accounts to a number you will keep. Unpaid postpaid bills lead to the line being barred and then terminated, and the debt stays in your name.
Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →
What it costs
| Ooredoo Hala prepaid SIM (free when bought through the Ooredoo eShop) | QAR 35 |
| Vodafone standard prepaid Welcome Pack | QAR 25 |
| Converting a physical SIM to eSIM (Vodafone; Ooredoo swap to eSIM) | QAR 0 |
| Ooredoo Visitor SIM (3, 7, 14 or 30 days) | QAR 35 / 75 / 100 / 150 |
| Vodafone Ahlan packs for customers without a QID (7, 14 or 30 days) | QAR 75 / 100 / 150 |
| Ooredoo Shahry+ postpaid, entry plan (per month) | From QAR 100 |
| Roaming pass, weekly (Ooredoo Passport or Vodafone Passport Pack) | QAR 100 |
| Moving your number to the other operator | QAR 0 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Using a SIM registered under someone else's QID, then losing Metrash or bank codes when that person cancels it
- Forgetting to move a passport-registered line to your QID after your residence permit is issued
- Letting a prepaid line lapse by not recharging, and losing the number permanently
- Travelling without a roaming pass and with data roaming switched on, then facing a large bill
- Cancelling the old line before the number port is complete
- Clicking a link in an SMS about a 'traffic fine' or 'parcel' and entering card details or a one-time code
- Leaving Qatar with an unpaid postpaid bill or with lines still active in your name
- Deleting an eSIM profile when changing phones without checking how to reinstall it
Questions people ask
Can I get a Qatar SIM with only my passport?
Yes. Visitors and people who do not have a QID yet can register a prepaid line with a valid passport, for example Ooredoo's Visitor SIM or Vodafone's Ahlan packs. Once your QID is issued, ask the operator to update the line to your QID, because it does not change automatically.
Do WhatsApp and FaceTime calls work in Qatar?
Messaging works normally. Voice and video calls through some free apps have been unreliable on local networks for years, and results vary by app and over time. The regulator has said there is no law against using these apps for personal calls, but there is no guarantee they will connect, so keep an operator calling pack as a backup.
My phone number is in my company's or a friend's name. Can I use it for Metrash?
Metrash is activated on a number registered under your own QID, so a line in someone else's name will cause problems. Ask the operator whether the line can be transferred to your QID, or get a new SIM in your name and update your bank and other accounts to it.
Can I switch from Ooredoo to Vodafone (or the other way) and keep my number?
Yes. Apply with the new operator, keep your old SIM active and follow its confirmation step. It usually takes one to two working days and the port is free, but you must still pay any outstanding bill, and unused prepaid credit is lost.
What happens if I stop recharging my prepaid line?
After the validity ends, Ooredoo's 2026 Hala tariff gives a grace period in which you can only receive calls; remaining credit is forfeited. If you still do not recharge, the line is suspended and then terminated, and the number is lost permanently. Vodafone has its own rules, so check in its app.
Is eSIM more expensive than a normal SIM?
No. The plans are the same price. Vodafone says switching to eSIM is free, and Ooredoo's tariff lists a free replacement when you swap a physical SIM for an eSIM. You need a phone that supports eSIM and is not locked to another network.
I received an SMS saying I have an unpaid traffic fine with a link. Is it real?
Treat it as a scam unless proven otherwise. The Ministry of Interior has repeatedly warned about messages impersonating government bodies and companies. Check fines only in Metrash or official .gov.qa sites, and never enter card details or codes through an SMS link.
Official sources
- Ooredoo prepaid (Hala and Visitor SIM) tariff, June 2026 ↗
- Ooredoo postpaid (Shahry+, Qatarna+, family plans) tariff, June 2026 ↗
- Vodafone Qatar prepaid tariff notification, January 2026 ↗
- Vodafone Qatar: get or switch to eSIM ↗
- Qatar Living: switching mobile providers in Qatar (2026) ↗
- The Peninsula: Ministry of Interior warns against sharing personal or financial information (March 2026) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.