janusjiang

Hi all, anyone planning to go to Qatar after 18th December 2022 and before 23 January 2023? How are you guys going to get the Hayya Card? Just asked the Qatar embassy but they don't know either.

Ben_W

I have a friend here in Qatar who has some family visiting for Christmas. So after the WC ends. Luckily he has quite a few WC tickets, so he is changing the guest names of some of the tickets to his family members so that he can apply for their Hayya cards. Once they are approved, he can change the guest names back to the original ticket holders for the football.
Its all a bit of a nonsense really how it is still required to the end of January! I get why its needed from Nov 1st, but after the 18th, it should be scrapped.

jah718

I literally cannot understand why you still need a Hayya card after the world cup is finished. A requirement for a Hayya card is a match ticket, so someone looking to visit in January would, by default, not have a match ticket. Makes zero sense.

janusjiang

Yeah I agree that make no senses but based on the Australian government's smart traveller website, it says that we need Hayya card to enter Qatar between 1 Nov 2022 and 23 Jan 2023.

Yenakad

I have a flight (Biz Class) from Europe back to Asia incl. stop-over of 3 days in Doha (staying at the Park Hyatt Doha) with my family. I quickly called the Hayya Call Centre (+974 4441 2022). I asked the staff how Hayya card is handled after the World Cup. The staff explained that after 22. or 23. December you are not anymore allowed to enter Qatar with a Hayya Card however if you enter Qatar before you are allowed to stay until 23. January 2023. This would make sense. My understanding is that Hayya Card serves as a kind of visa waiver and this would end by 22. / 23. December 2022 (for entering Qatar) with stay up to 23. January 2023. After this (entering from 22. or 23. December) normal visa rule applies (the staff didn't confirmed but told me to contact the authorities e.g. Qatari Embassy). Maybe someone else can contact Hayya Contact Centre to check again.

jah718

Thanks, this actually makes a lot of sense! As always with Qatar, I really wish they could be a lot clearer when they are communicating these things, as the current public information is vague.

janusjiang

I've just received an email reply from the Hayya card team telling me the exact same thing but I wish they make it this crystal clear in the Hayya Card website. The UK and Australian government advice seem to be the same as the Hayya website and contradicts the advice Hayya support team. I even contacted the Qatari embassy in Australia who advised that they didn't know the rules either. To be on the safe side, I'll just keep checking the requirements as we get closer.

Ben_W

Its been recently quoted that those in Qatar with a Hayaa card can stay until January 23rd. So when they talk about this date, maybe they are just referring to those already in the country and it just hasn't been communicated properly so it maybe ok to travel without this in January?

TRANSWORLDMARINE

I just contacted Hayya Card Help Line, they said you need Hayya Card to enter Qatar Before January 23rd.you need to enter Ticket Numbers to get the Hayaa Card, But we are arriving January 5th 2023. what Ticket Numbers after The Tournament?

Ben_W

I don't think these guys are very competent.
It was reported in Qatar a few weeks ago that from December 23rd you would not need a Hayaa card to enter Qatar. Hayya card holders can stay in the country until January 23rd 2023.
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/articl...r-until-jan-23

IAN-UK

That seems a common sense interpretation of the rules. But sadly common sense isn't always congruent with the way rules are applied.