The Hayya system will be available for visitors at Expo 2023, which will be held between 2 October 2023 and 28 March 2024.
The Hayya system will be made available for a six-month period to welcome visitors to the Expo 2023 later this year, a top official said.
While details of the entry procedure are set to be announced, there is an expectation of increased tourism by easing the process.
“We are expecting the participation of 80 countries and the entry of three million visitors to Doha during the exhibition period,” Expo 2023’s secretary general Mohammed Al-Khoury explained.
The Hayya card is an initiative that kicked off during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar late last year. The fan ID allows ticket holders entry into Qatar and provided a range of perks, such as free access to metro and bus-related transportation.
More importantly, international travellers visiting Qatar for the World Cup did not need a visa to enter and stay in the country as long as they held a valid card.
Months following the World Cup, authorities in Qatar announced plans to boost tourism with the the expansion of the Hayya platform.
“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 Akbar Al-Baker recently said at a press conference.
The new Hayya e-visa will come in different categories based on nationality, residency or other international visas already in possession of the traveller.
There are three additional categories of travellers who will be granted easier approval.
A1 category includes all nationalities that do not qualify for Visa on Arrival or Visa Free Entry, while A2 is designated for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) residents – which now includes all professions.
A3 is set for international visitors who have visa or residency from Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.
Officials stated that the period of these visas depends on the country of origin and is usually 30 days. They also detailed that no visa request should take more than 48 hours to receive a response.
International visitors must also provide accommodation details for their stay and share information for emergency contact. A passport-style photo in digital format will also need to be submitted in order to complete the application.
The Ministry of Interior had previously extended the validity of the Hayya Card, allowing card holders from outside the country to enter Qatar until 24 January 2024. However, with the Expo running until March, it is likely to be extended.
