Qatar Residence Permit (QID) Photo — at home in 60 seconds
Qatar residence permit (RP) / Qatar ID card (QID) for expatriates
Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (38×48 mm) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
Quick answer
A Qatar Residence Permit (QID) Photo must be 38 × 48 mm (1.5 × 1.89 in) when printed, or a digital file of aspect 38:48, on a light blue background. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.
- Printed photo
- 38 × 48 mm (1.5 × 1.89 in)
- Digital file
- aspect 38:48
Verified October 7, 2026 from Ministry of Interior, Qatar.
Photo requirements
Summarised from the official sources below.
- Printed photo
- 38 × 48 mm (1.5 × 1.89 in)
- Digital file
- aspect 38:48
- Background
- Light blue. The background must not be white. No colour is named; light blue meets this rule.
- Expression
- Not specified.
- Glasses
- Not specified.
- Head covering
- Not specified.
- Babies and children
- Not specified.
- Online application
- Renewal in Metrash2 or MOI e-services; first permits at MOI service centres, with the photo glued on the printed form.
More rules (6)
- Colour photo.
- Glue the photo onto the form; do not pin or staple it.
- First-time permits: hand in the photo with your original passport, a blood-group certificate and the printed application form signed by your sponsor.
- The renewal form has a 'change photo' option that updates the photo on your ID card.
- On renewal, applicants over 16 must give fingerprints at the Criminal Evidences and Information Department.
- No file size or pixel size is published for uploads in Metrash2 or MOI e-services.
Print at home or at a kiosk
Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size), never “Fit to page”, on photo paper. Each sheet has a 50 mm ruler so you can check the size.
How to take it at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
- Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
- Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.
Price
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.
Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
Why people choose Ovalight
Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.
- Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
- Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
- Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
- Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 7, 2026.
- Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
- Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.
Official sources
Verified on October 7, 2026
- MOI Qatar - First Time Residence Permit (requirements list 'Photo of the employee') — Ministry of Interior, Qatar
- MOI Qatar - Residence Permit Renewal — Ministry of Interior, Qatar
- Residence Permit Application Form - Business Visit - Family Visit for First Time (photo box 'Color Photo 4.8 X 3.8') — General Directorate of Passports, Ministry of Interior, Qatar
- Residence Permit Application Form (Investors and Real Estate Owners) - 'Colour Photo Size 4.8 x 3.8', background not white — General Directorate of Passports, Ministry of Interior, Qatar
- Renewal Form (Residency - Business Visit - Family Visit) - colour photo 4.8x3.8, background not white — General Directorate of Passports, Ministry of Interior, Qatar
- MOI Forms index (Residence Permit Services) — Ministry of Interior, Qatar
Questions
What size is a Qatar Residence Permit (QID) Photo?
Printed: 38 × 48 mm (1.5 × 1.89 in). Digital: aspect 38:48.
Can I take my Qatar Residence Permit (QID) Photo at home?
Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.
What background is required?
Light blue. The background must not be white. No colour is named; light blue meets this rule.
Can I smile?
Not specified.
Can I wear glasses?
Not specified.
Can I wear a head covering?
Not specified.
What about babies and children?
Not specified.
Can I print the photo at home?
Yes. Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size) on photo paper, at home or at a pharmacy or kiosk, and check the size with the 50 mm ruler.
More Qatar documents
Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.