Hayya Platform Qatar

Hayya OTP works on any international SIM but occasionally fails on certain MVNOs. Retry with the SMS resend, then switch to email OTP if available. Do not change the registered number mid-application - the change resets the session.

Contact the Hayya call centre with the reference number. Typical fix is a quiet document resubmit request that did not generate a notification. Do not start a fresh application - it will conflict with the live one.

Print the Hayya card PDF or save it in the phone wallet. Some non-Qatar Airways carriers do not query the API and rely on visual document inspection. The printed card resolves this immediately.

Refunds for the wrong category are not automatic. Open a ticket through the Hayya call centre with the reference number and both passport and category proof. Resolution is typically a manual review at the platform level and can take 14 to 21 days.

Yes. Hayya was deliberately retained and expanded as Qatar's main pre-arrival visa portal. The A1 tourist visa, A2 GCC resident visa, A3 ETA and A4 companion visa all run on Hayya regardless of any sporting event. The only nationals who do not use Hayya are visa-exempt passport holders (US, UK, EU, GCC citizens and around 50 others).

No. The A2 system enforces a strict minimum of six months residency validity at the date of application. Renew the GCC residence permit first, then apply. Some applicants try to use an A1 tourist visa instead - this works if their nationality also qualifies for A1, but it costs the same QAR 100 fee with stricter accommodation rules.

For a defined list of nationalities (mostly from South Asia, Africa and parts of South-East Asia) the A1 tourist visa requires the accommodation booking to be made through Discover Qatar, which is the Qatar Airways tourism arm. Airbnb, independent hotels and friend-of-friend stays are not accepted. Hayya redirects gated applicants to the Discover Qatar booking flow, where the package bundles the visa fee with the hotel.

Official processing is 48 to 72 hours for A1 and A2. Most clean cases (passport clear, photo on white background, accommodation booking matching gating rules) approve within 24 hours and many in under six hours. A3 ETAs for low-risk nationalities often return in under two hours. The pre-submit validator flags incomplete applications before payment, which has cut average processing time across the platform.

You can but you should not. Visa-exempt nationals (US, UK, EU, GCC citizens and around 50 others) receive a free stamp on arrival valid for 30 to 90 days depending on nationality. Paying QAR 100 for a Hayya A1 from a visa-exempt country is wasted money - the fee is not refunded. Check the visa-exempt list before applying.

No. Employment visas are processed by the employer through MOL Qatar and finalised through QVC in the source country (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines or Tunisia). Hayya is exclusively for visit-class entry. Workers arriving on a sponsored visa appear on the MOI portal under their sponsor's establishment, not under Hayya.

Yes for A1 tourist visas, but the extension is processed through the MOI portal inside Qatar, not through Hayya. The fee is QAR 200 per extension, maximum two extensions for a total stay of 90 days. A2 GCC resident visas cannot be extended; the holder leaves and reapplies. A3 ETAs cannot be extended at all.

Visa-on-arrival is a stamp issued at Doha airport to visa-exempt nationalities; it is free for most and around QAR 100 for a few. Hayya A1 is a pre-arrival visa that has to be applied online and approved before boarding. Some nationalities qualify for both - they should pick visa-on-arrival unless an airline requires a pre-approval for check-in. Most non-exempt nationalities have to use Hayya A1 and do not qualify for visa-on-arrival.

Yes, a separate Hayya application is required per traveller including children regardless of age. There is no family discount on the QAR 100 fee. Each child needs their own passport, photo on white background, and the same accommodation booking as the parent. Linking the applications through the same booking reference helps immigration on arrival keep the family together.

Wait the full 72-hour official window before contacting the call centre. Most stuck applications resolve themselves. After 72 hours, contact the Hayya call centre with the reference number; the typical fix is a document resubmission triggered by a quiet flag the reviewer set. If you are about to fly and the visa has not approved, do not buy a non-refundable ticket; airlines will deny boarding without an approved Hayya card.

Yes for the major Qatar Airways and codeshare partners through the API. The carrier checks the Hayya status against the passenger record at check-in. For other carriers the agent visually checks the Hayya card PDF. Printing or wallet-saving the card before reaching the counter avoids check-in delay especially at busy hubs.

Yes if travelling with the sponsoring GCC citizen and on the same booking. The A4 covers spouse, children, parents and domestic workers. The maid must have her own passport, photo and biometric record linked through the GCC citizen's Hayya profile. The A4 does not entitle the maid to a separate Qatar residence permit - that flow is the in-country domestic-worker visa managed by the MOI.

Hayya itself only shows status by Hayya reference number. To check by passport number, use the MOI Qatar visa inquiry at portal.moi.gov.qa. The MOI lookup confirms the approved Hayya record against the passport and shows entry validity, which is useful for confirming the visa is live before flying. The step-by-step is in our MOI visa check walkthrough.