Sponsored Family Members on Metrash: The Delegation Service Explained
How a sponsor can give a spouse or adult child access to Metrash without a separate Qatari phone number, who is covered, and what to check before you ask.
Many families run into the same wall: a new spouse arrives in Qatar, has a residence permit, but cannot use Metrash because the app asks for a mobile number registered to their own ID. The delegation service is meant to solve that. This guide explains what is known about it. The main source is an immigration alert from Vialto Partners posted on 22 August 2025. We could not find an official Ministry of Interior page, and the alert does not explain how to submit the request, so this article is short on steps and long on what to check. It is general information, not legal advice.
What problem does it solve?
Vialto says the change eliminates the earlier requirement for family members to buy and link their own phone number to their residence permit number. Metrash gives access to a wide range of government services, from renewing a permit to checking fines and the vehicle details. A dependent who cannot log in depends on the sponsor for everything. See our guide to official government apps in Qatar for what each one does.
Who is covered?
Vialto says the sponsor can grant access to immediate sponsored family members, such as a spouse or children aged 18 and over. The page does not say whether parents or younger children are covered. A child under 18 would normally be handled by the parent's own account.
How does it work?
According to Vialto:
1. The sponsor submits a delegation request to the Ministry of Interior.
2. When the request is processed, the family member downloads and activates the Metrash app on their own device.
3. They activate it using the sponsor's registered mobile number, so the verification goes to the sponsor.
The alert does not say where in Metrash the sponsor submits the request, whether it costs anything, or how long processing takes. Look for it in the sponsor's Metrash services and confirm the details with the Ministry of Interior before you rely on it.
Why this matters for residence permits
Vialto notes that registering the national address is mandatory for renewing a Qatar residence permit. If a family member cannot use Metrash, the sponsor has to do the address and the renewal for them. Read how to renew a residence permit on Metrash and what to do when the national address is not updated. Sponsors who need to end a family permit should read what the sponsor must do to cancel it.
Things to think about before you delegate
- **Privacy and trust.** Activation goes through the sponsor's number, so the sponsor receives the verification messages. Decide who should hold that access.
- **Security.** Do not share your own Metrash password or QID PIN. Delegation is built so you do not need to.
- **Device.** The family member needs their own device.
- **If login fails.** See Metrash not working and Hukoomi and Tawtheeq registration problems.
A quick check before you ask
1. Confirm the family member's residence permit is active and linked to your sponsorship. See Qatar family visa sponsorship.
2. Confirm they are a spouse or a child aged 18 or over.
3. Have your own Metrash login working.
4. Ask the Ministry of Interior's call center for the current steps if the option is not visible.
What we could not verify
- The Ministry of Interior's own announcement, and where in the app the request is made.
- Whether parents and children under 18 are covered, and any fee or processing time.
- Which Metrash services a delegated user can use.
Frequently asked questions
Can my wife use Metrash without her own Qatari phone number?
Vialto reports that the Ministry of Interior added a delegation service so sponsors can register dependents without a separate local number. The sponsor submits a request, then the family member activates the app on their own device.
Who can a sponsor delegate Metrash access to?
Vialto says immediate sponsored family members such as a spouse or children aged 18 and over. It does not say whether other relatives are covered.
Is the national address needed for residence permit renewal?
Vialto says registering the national address is mandatory for renewing a Qatar residence permit.
Sources & references
Agha Ali Abbas
Founder & Editor
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