Qatar residents can host up to five guests through Hayya portal

Residents of Qatar can host up to five guests through the Hayya portal following the recent revamp of the Hayya platform to enable more nationalities to avail of a tourist visa to visit the country.

Explaining the system, the FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on the Hayya portal says: "Any Qatar residents with valid QID and proof of address registered on the Metrash2 app can sign up as a host on Hayya and add one property. The maximum number of guests that can be added on the registered property is five guests."

A guest added to the Family & Friends list cannot be removed, it explains, advising residents to ensure that they are providing accurate and genuine information about their guest(s).

"We recommend that your guest applies for Hayya after you have added them to your Family & Friends list. However, they can still be hosted even after they have submitted their application," the website says.

By expanding the functionality of the Hayya platform, Qatar seeks to invite new tourists who require a visa to visit the country.

“The relaunched Hayya platform has become the go-to portal for travellers who require a visa to enter Qatar. The Hayya platform will become the country’s single portal for all tourists to enter the country,” Qatar Tourism Chairman HE Akbar al-Baker said at a press conference recently.

Three new categories of visitors will now be eligible for Qatar’s e-visa. The Hayya e-visa will categorise visitors based on nationality, residency or other international visa, which a traveller already has. The three new categories are A1, A2 and A3.

The minimum requirements to enter with Hayya are:

• Minimum three months of passport validity from the time of arrival in Qatar
• Accommodation (address in Qatar, booking, hosted by family and friends or Discover Qatar)
• Return flight ticket
• Hayya Entry Visa

While Hayya does not charge for application, fees for visa maybe charged. The Entry Visa fees start from QR100, they are paid after your visa is approved. The fees are non-refundable regardless of your travel status or arrangements.

The accommodation options when applying through Hayya are:

• Family & Friends: where your host needs to apply to host you.
• Booked accommodation: where the guest will book an accommodation and upload the details (this can be a hotel or furnished apartment booking, etc).

However, the accommodation requirements vary based on the Entry Visa type. Also, in certain cases, booked accommodation is only possible via Discover Qatar. Applicants are advised to refer to the accommodation requirements based on their application.

The Hayya portal is available here.