The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced a relaxation for citizens and residents, who are abroad for education and treatment, with regard to the National Address registration.

Such persons will be allowed to complete the registration process without facing penalties if they present certificates that prove their presence abroad.

The relaxation is applicable for residents and citizens who are unable to come to Qatar due to the Covid-19 pandemic scenario.

“They can present the documents they have to the authorities,” Lieutenant Colonel Dr Abdullah Zayed al-Sahli, head of the National Address Section at the Public Security, told local Arabic daily Arrayah.

Meanwhile, with the deadline for the registration falling on July 26, 2020, the MoI official urged all citizens and residents to complete the registration.

“Any company with a registration number must complete the process. For companies with more than one branch, address of each branch must be registered separately,” he explained.

He urged farm workers and housemaids to complete registration by communicating with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) on the number 184.

As per the latest figures, released by MoI, a total of 1.5mn have completed their registration process. These include citizens and expatriates. More than 70% of the citizens have completed their registration.

Described as the first of its kind in the GCC countries, the National Address Law is a qualitative leap in the conduct of judicial procedures and enabling a proper communication system.

Everyone including citizens, expatriates, and tourists comes under the purview of the law. All including institutions and companies should register their address and data with the ministry. This will ensure that everyone is properly communicated by the state and timely receives essential official notifications and announcements.

The registration will help the government easily reach out to them and deliver various services including ambulance service. A citizen or an expatriate or his legal representative has to register his data in a simple form that includes the address of residence, fixed telephone number, mobile number, email, employer address for government and private sector employees, and permanent address abroad if available. The guardian of minor children has to register their data and bears the legal responsibility for the validity of this data.

The registration will increase the performance rates of some security services for rapid response in case of emergencies. The services include those by Al Fazaa, Traffic, Civil Defence, and Ambulance. The registration will also help residents take advantage of online delivery and online purchase.

The law came into effect on January 27, 2020. Anyone who fails to register their address within six months of the enactment of the law will be fined with an amount less than QR 10,000.

The law mandates the individual to notify the authority about change in the address. If not updated, the existing address will be considered as valid and communication and notification will go to the given address.



Related Story