Are you on a visit visa in Qatar and planning to attend the World Cup? If your visit visa is expiring during the tournament, make sure to change Qatar visit visa to Hayya Card visa.
With Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup™, more than a million visitors will be arriving in Qatar from November to December 2022. As announced earlier, a Hayya Card and Hayya Entry Permit are mandatory for visitors to Qatar from 1 November.
There are many visitors who are already in Qatar under other types of visit visas like a family visit visa, which may be expiring during the World Cup. If they have purchased FIFA match tickets, obviously they would be planning to stay for the tournament.
However, there are some questions they should be asking now:
- Can Hayya Cardholders continue to stay on a visit visa?
- Will there be any fine if a Hayya Card holder’s visit visa expires and he continues to stay?
- Should visit visa holders leave the country and come back using Hayya Entry Permit?
- How can I change Qatar visit visa to Hayya Card visa?
Here are the answers to all these questions according to the Hayya website and answers from Hayya support team:
Can Hayya Card holders continue to stay on visit visa?
If you are on a visit visa and your visa expires during the tournament, you should change your visa type to a Hayya visa.
Will there be any fine if a Hayya Card holder’s visit visa expires and he continues to stay?
Having a Hayya Card doesn’t mean your visa is automatically renewed. If you do not change your visa to a Hayya visa you may be fined for overstaying.
Should visit visa holders leave the country and come back using Hayya Entry Permit?
If your visa expires before 1 November 2022, you should exit and re-enter with a Hayya Entry Permit. If your visa is expiring between 1 November and 23 December, you can follow the steps below.
How To Change Qatar Visit Visa To Hayya Card Visa
If you are on a visit visa, which will expire between 1 November and 23 December 2022:
- Visit the nearest Ministry of Interior (MOI) Service Center with your Hayya Entry Permit / Hayya Card.
- Request a change of visa status.
- Pay the service fee of QR 500.
- MOI officials will change your visa status in the system.
Below is the screenshot from the Hayya website regarding this:
The Ministry of Interior (MOI) in Qatar handles the country’s policing, immigration and national security. You can visit any MOI Service Center for this purpose.
Note that you should be visiting an MOI Service Center from 1 November 2022 only. If the visa is expiring earlier, you should leave the country and come back after 1 November, or you should pay the penalty for the number of days overstaying.
How long is this visa valid?
Once you pay QR 500 and your visa type is changed, you will receive a paper with the visa validity. From what we have seen so far, it is valid till 23 January 2023.
How long can I stay in Qatar with a Hayya Entry Permit?
Hayya Entry Permit holders can stay until 23 January 2023. The Hayya Entry Permit is like a multiple-entry visa. The last date for entering Qatar will be 23 December 2022.
2 NOVEMBER 2022 UPDATE: Ministry of Interior, in a statement, said that visitors may go to the General Directorate of Passports and MOI Services Centres and get their visa converted for a service fee of QAR 500. The Ministry stated that this visa validity will last until January 23, 2023.
Related Articles:
- How To Get Hayya Entry Permit: Answers To All Questions
- How To Get Hayya Card Without Match Ticket
- FIFA World Cup Ticketing App: How To Access Mobile Tickets
- How To Apply for UAE Visa With Hayya Card
- How To Apply for Saudi Visa With Hayya Card
- How To Apply for Oman Visa With Hayya Card
- How To Change Ticket Holder Name on FIFA App
- How To Get Physical Hayya Card
- Doha Road Closures and Traffic Updates During World Cup
Dear Doha Guide team, please help on below
one of my friend on hayya Visa type A1 already exceeded 75 days, what is the procedure go out of the country and get back on work visa , any penalties is there to pay
Hi Sajeewa, The penalty for overstaying on a visit visa is QR 200 per day. We recommend booking a return ticket as soon as possible and visiting the Airport Immigration office (located near Qatar Airways Cargo). Show your return ticket to the captain and request a discount. If he is lucky he will get some discount. Solve this issue and leave the country before thinking about work visa. If you apply for work visa while overstaying in the country it will be immediately rejected. If possible, please share with us what happens so that it will help others.
Hello, my wife and my son are in Qatar with me since 26 of august. They came with haya card tourist visa. She is Brazilian and my son Portuguese.
Before coming to Qatar I submited at 8 of august for the family visit visa, but is still under process.
In this case can they stay on the country until 24 of January? or should I try to go to the MOI center and try to convert the haya for family visit visa payng 500 rials for each one?
Hi Patrick, (1) Under the Hayya scheme, there are different types of visas. If it’s a Hayya Tourist Visa (A1), its validity is only 30 days from the entry date (you can try extending it for another 30 days).
(2) The validity of January 24, 2024, applies exclusively to the “Hayya With Me (C)” category, which requires a voucher code.
(3) You cannot convert a Hayya visa to any other type by paying QR 500. This option is only applicable for converting a Family Visit visa to a Family RP visa. However, for this conversion, the Family RP should be approved first.
Average approval time for Family Visit Visa is 1-3 weeks. Since you have applied 5 week back, you can try visiting Duhail Immigration to follow up on the status.
Hi, just want to inquire regarding Hayya Visa. My husband previously working here in Qatar and had a Hayya Card. He got cancelled and returned to Qatar through Family Visit Visa and will be valid until first week of September 2023. He will exit before the expiration, just want to ask if he can still use his Hayya Card as Visa even he does not have his QID (before is Hayya connected to his RP – QID) or do we need to acquire Hayya with Me. Thank you…
Hi Mariem, The old Hayya Card which he got as a Qatar resident is not valid for visiting Qatar. He will need to apply for Hayya With Me (with a voucher code).
Hello team,
My wife is now in Qatar with family visit visa. Her visa will be expire on next month. Can I apply for her the Hayya visa to stay till December without leaving the country ? How much do I pay for this visa converting process? Thank you for your response.
Hi Daminda, We don’t think you can change to Hayya without leaving country as those who tried in the past were asked to exit. If you are Indian citizen, please note that “Hayya With Me” is not available for Indians now.
Hi,
My wife and daughter came Through haya visa which will be expire on 24th of january 2024 is there any option that they can stay family visit visa ?if yes please advise me the process.
Thanks
Hi Munshif, If there is no official extension for Hayya by that time, you can apply for family visit visa in December. Note that this is subject to the rules at that time. Sometimes Metrash doesn’t allow applying for another visa while the person is inside country.
If approved, they may be required to exit and re-enter as there is no option to change visa type. Please check back the rules at that time.
Hello Team, Is it possible to convert hayya card into residence visa? One of friend is in Qatar on Hayya Card and his visa application also got approved.
Hi Senthil, If the RP is approved, you can check this with Immigration office. However in most cases they are asking to exit the country and come back on new visa.
Hi there, I’m here in qatar on hayya with me, and my family visa got approved 4 days ago, is there any way I can convert my hayya visa to my family visa in the country, I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant and my doctor did not allow me to travel, and if I need to exit the country and come back with my family visa, do I need to cancel my hayya with me? Or it will be automatically cancelled if I have my family visa on hand ? Appreciate the help, thank you
Hi Mika, Your husband can visit Airport Immigration (near HIA Cargo section, check Google Maps) and try meeting the Captain with letter from your doctor. Sometimes they would change in the system in such cases.
Hi my mother using hayya visit visa, is it possible to change the hayya visa to Family Visa?..
Hi Julius, There is no option to change. You can apply for family visa if you are eligible. Once approved you can check the options.
Hi Dear my friend coming Afghanistan for Hayy card this change for visat visa
Hi Abdul, If he is coming on Hayya Card, it cannot be changed directly to visit. Once visit visa is approved, he will need to exit and come back on visit visa.
Hi my daughter using hayya visit visa and already expired yesterday so is there anyway to apply a new hayya visa for her with out exit the country since she is 5yrs old only ?
Hi I am on visit how I have to convert visit from hayya I don’t have hayya tickets
Hi Maryam, This article is about changing visa during 2022. This option is not available now. For Hayya With Me option you will need Hayya voucher. You have to apply for Hayya and once it is approved you have to exit and re-enter.
H i can possible convert from family visit visa to hayya Card permit?
Hi Chinnasamy, You can apply for Hayya. Once Hayya is approved, you need to exit and come back on Hayya.
Hi!
Is there any chance to change my hayya visa to tourist visa?
Thank you.
Hi Ledilou, No, Tourist visa is currently suspended. Hayya visa is valid until January 2024.
Hi, My wife is in Qatar on a visit visa, is there any possibility of changing the visa to a haya card which was recent approval up to stay Jan 2024 before the visit visa expiry (without leaving the country)?
Hi Jezzy, As per current available information (from MOI officials), you have to exit and come back on Hayya.
can I change hayya visa
Hi Basharat, If you have another approved visa, you can exit the country and come back on a new visa.
How can I change my Hayya card to working permit visa
Hi Olatunde, There is no conversion option. If you get a job, your employer will apply for your visa. You may have to exit the country and come back on new visa.
Hi Dohaguide team!
I would like to have your advice. My Family is here in Qatar under Hayya Visa. I want to apply them for family visit visa. do they need to go out Qatar and come back under family visit visa?
Is it possible to let them stay here in Qatar while i’m processing their family visit visa and i will just pay the fine for over staying under Hayya visa? is this possible?
Hi Red, As far as we know, those who recently tried to change from Hayya to other visas were asked to exit and come back. Also, note that the fine for overstay is QR 200 per day and you can’t predict how many days it would take for approval.