Guides / Visas & residency / Residence permit & QID
Got a new passport? Updating it in your Qatar residence record
Your Qatar residence permit is linked to your passport number. When you get a new passport, update it on Metrash or at an MOI service centre so travel, renewals and e-gates keep working.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Where
- Metrash app (Residency) or any MOI service centre
- Time
- A few minutes to apply; card usually delivered within days
- Cost
- About QAR 100 reported, plus delivery; Metrash shows the exact fee
- Must be
- Inside Qatar, with a valid residence permit
In Qatar your residence permit (RP) and Qatar ID (QID) are tied to the passport you held when the permit was issued. When you renew or replace your passport, the new number has to be recorded with the Ministry of Interior (MOI). This is not the same as renewing your QID: the residence and its expiry date stay the same, and you simply get a new ID card that shows the new passport. Most people can do it themselves in the Metrash app in a few minutes, and the new card arrives by Qatar Post. The order is simple: get the new passport from your embassy, update it while you are inside Qatar, and keep the old passport with you until the update is done.
Before you start
- Your new passport, valid and signed where your country requires a signature
- Your old passport (even if cancelled or clipped by your embassy) until the update is complete
- Your current Qatar ID card and QID number
- A clear photo or scan of the new passport's data page (and the second page if it has your address or signature)
- A recent personal photo on a plain background, in case the app or counter asks for one
- An activated Metrash account in your name, or your sponsor's account if they are updating it for you
- A debit or credit card for the fee
- If your name, date of birth or other details changed: the official document behind the change (for example an attested marriage certificate)
Step by step
Renew your passport through your embassy
Most embassies and consulates in Doha accept passport renewals from residents, either directly or through an outsourced application centre. Book early, because processing can take from a few days to several weeks depending on your country. Check whether your embassy keeps your old passport or returns it cancelled; ask for it back if possible, because you may need to show it while travelling. Your residence stays valid during this time even though it still shows the old passport number.
Check the new passport carefully
Before you leave the embassy, compare the new passport with your Qatar ID: spelling of your name, date of birth, nationality and gender should all match. If something has changed on purpose (for example a married surname), the update is more than a passport number change and may need extra documents. If something is wrong by mistake, ask the embassy to correct it now. A mismatch between your passport and your QID record is the most common reason for problems at the airport.
Decide when to update
There is no published deadline for updating, but do it as soon as you are back in Qatar with the new passport. You must be inside Qatar and your residence permit must be valid. If your QID is close to expiry anyway, you can consider doing the passport change together with the renewal; ask your PRO (the company's government-relations officer) or check what Metrash offers for your case. If your QID has already expired, renew it first or do both together, because a passport change on an expired permit is often blocked.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Open the passport change service in Metrash
Log in to the Metrash app (the redesigned MOI app that replaced Metrash2 in 2025). From the home screen open Residency, then the data-change section, and choose the passport change service. The exact wording may vary slightly between app versions and between English and Arabic. If you have not activated Metrash yet, do that first.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Enter the QID and new passport details
Enter your own QID number, or the QID of a family member or worker you sponsor. Type the new passport number, issue date, expiry date and place of issue exactly as printed. Take a straight, well-lit photo of the passport data page with no glare; blurred or cropped uploads are a common reason for rejection. Add a clear personal photo if the app asks for one.
Review, choose delivery and pay
Check every field on the summary screen before paying, because a typo means another application and another fee. Choose delivery by Qatar Post to your address (or pickup, if offered). Pay by debit or credit card. Save the receipt or screenshot the confirmation with the request number.
Or go to an MOI service centre
If Metrash shows an error, asks you to visit immigration, or you prefer a counter, go to any MOI unified service centre. Take a token and bring your old passport, new passport and QID, plus a card to pay. Residents have reported receiving the new card printed the same day at some centres. Centres can also handle cases the app rejects, such as children's photos that need updating or corrections to your record.
Update your family and sponsored workers
If you are the sponsor (for example a parent for a wife and children, or an employer for a domestic worker), you can submit the change from your own Metrash account using their QID. Each person with a new passport needs their own update and pays their own fee. Children's passports are often renewed more often, so check their details whenever a new passport is issued. Company-sponsored employees are usually updated by the company's PRO through the MOI e-services portal, so tell HR as soon as you have the new passport.
Track the request and receive the new card
Follow the status in Metrash under your requests. The new QID keeps the same number and the same expiry date; only the passport details change. Delivery by Qatar Post usually takes a few working days, though some residents report longer waits. If the status stays at 'under review' for more than a couple of weeks, or shows 'check with immigration', call the MOI on 109 or visit a service centre.
Travel safely while the update is pending
Until the update is done, carry both the old and the new passport whenever you travel. Airline check-in staff and immigration officers link your residence to the old passport number, and the old passport proves the connection. Airport e-gates read your QID and passport record, so if the gate rejects you, simply use a staffed immigration counter. You cannot do the update from outside Qatar, so if you renewed abroad, fly back with both passports and update after you arrive.
Update other places that hold your passport number
Once you have the new card, update your bank, your employer's HR file, your health insurer and any visa applications in progress. Banks in Qatar often freeze accounts when the QID or passport on file is outdated. Keep a scan of the old passport with the new one, because some foreign visas and old travel records refer to the old number.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →
What it costs
| Passport details change on the residence (reported fee; Metrash shows the current amount) | QAR 100 |
| Qatar Post delivery of the new card (reported) | QAR 20 |
| New passport | Set by your embassy |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Handing the old passport to the embassy without asking for it back, then having nothing to prove your residence link when travelling
- Uploading a blurred, angled or cropped passport photo, which gets the request rejected
- Typing the passport number or dates wrongly and paying again to correct them
- Trying to update from abroad; the change only works while you are inside Qatar
- Leaving the update until the QID renewal and then finding the passport details block the renewal
- Assuming a name or date-of-birth change is just a passport update; these need supporting documents and usually a service-centre visit
- Forgetting to update the bank after receiving the new QID, which can freeze the account
Questions people ask
Can I travel with the old passport number still on my QID?
Yes, as long as you carry both the old and the new passport. The old one shows immigration and the airline the passport your residence is linked to. Once the new QID is issued you no longer need the old passport for travel, but keep it safe anyway.
I renewed my passport abroad. Can I return to Qatar on it?
Yes. Your residence permit is valid regardless of which passport you hold, but bring the old passport too so the airline and immigration can match you to your QID. Update the passport in Metrash after you arrive; it cannot be done from outside Qatar.
Does my QID number or expiry date change?
No. Your QID number and the residence expiry date stay the same. You get a new card that shows the new passport details, and the old card is no longer valid once the new one is issued.
Is there a deadline to update the passport?
No official deadline has been published. In practice, an outdated passport can cause problems with renewals, bank updates, e-gates and some travel, so update it as soon as you can after returning to Qatar.
Metrash says 'Kindly check with the immigration department'. What does it mean?
It means the app cannot process your case automatically, often because of a data mismatch, an outstanding issue, or a child's photo that needs updating. The reason is only shown to staff, so visit an MOI service centre with both passports and your QID, or call 109 first.
Can I update my wife's and children's passports?
Yes. As the sponsor you can submit the passport change from your own Metrash account using each family member's QID. Each person needs a separate request and fee, and they need to be in Qatar.
My new passport has a different name (or date of birth). Can I just update it in Metrash?
Not always. A changed name or birth date is a change of personal data, not just a new passport number. You will usually need the supporting document (for example an attested marriage certificate) and in some cases a public notice in an approved newspaper. Go to an MOI service centre, which can tell you exactly what your case needs.
My QID is expiring. Should I renew it first or change the passport first?
If you already have the new passport, it makes sense to record it before or during the renewal so the new card shows the correct details. If your passport itself is about to expire, renew the passport first, because the residence cannot be renewed on an expired passport. Your PRO or a service centre can combine the steps.
Official sources
- Al Sharq (Jul 2026): steps to update passport details via Metrash ↗
- Qatar Living: Qatar government services in 2026, what changed ↗
- The Peninsula (Apr 2026): MOI steps to renew residence via Metrash ↗
- DohaGuides: change passport number in Qatar ID (with reader Q&A) ↗
- MOI e-services portal ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.