By Ayman Adly/Staff ReporterAll holders of a Qatari ID can now process their documents through electronic access to various services of the Ministry of Interior from the convenience of their homes or offices, without having to approach any of the MoI service centres. With the launch of Metrash2, users can have access to 43 different services pertaining to exit permits, visit visa, traffic, residence permit, e-gates, query services and navigation for MoI services centres around the country, besides communication with the ministry, from anywhere in the world. This can be done anytime through a smartphone. The MoI’s Information Systems Department (ISD) gave a detailed explanation of the service yesterday at a press briefing held at its headquarters in Duhail district. ISD Assistant Director Col Abdul Rahman al-Malki, head of the visa section at the General Directorate of Border Passports and Expatriates Affairs (GDBPEA) Col Abdullah Ahmed al-Ansari, and officer at the technical office of GDBPEA Lt Abdullah al-Muhannadi jointly elaborated on the benefits of Metrash2, urging more people to subscribe to the free service. “Almost seven years ago, we launched the Metrash service. It was initially meant to inform people on the status of their documents, their expiry date and the due date for renewal through text messages. We waited for the technology to mature so that we could upgrade it and offer real and solid services. It is now possible through Metrash2 to avoid wasting time in traffic jams while heading towards the MoI’s service centres and then wait for a while to process the required documents. Instead, all this could be done through a smartphone from anywhere, anytime,” said Col al-Malki, explaining that the word Metrash means, in old Arabic usage, “sending somebody to do something on your behalf”.He said more than 6,000 people have registered for Metrash2 until now, while over 12,000 exit permits have been processed and issued through the service. Metrash2 applicants should have registered their phone numbers (Ooredoo only) in their name in Metrash, which is a free service. An applicant should also have a smart ID card, which can be obtained at a charge of QR100 from the Immigration Department in Gharrafa or any of the 15 MoI service centres located in places such as Mesaimeer, Wakrah, Industrial Area, HMC, Q-Post, Shahaniyya, Souq Waqif, Al Khor, Shamal, Zubara, Mesaieed and Umm Sulal, explained Col al-Malki.Col al-Ansari urged users to register and benefit from the convenient and easily accessible service, stressing that the MoI was acquiring the most sophisticated technologies to provide all residents of Qatar with hassle-free services at their own locations. It also aims to decrease dependence on the conventional paper-based methods. Users are still welcome at the different 15 service centres of MoI across the country and will be offered the best possible service to process their required documents. Lt al-Muhannadi stressed that all GDBPEA staff have been given extensive training on how to deal with the public and they are highly qualified in giving users the best and timely services. Further, complaints from the public are always welcome through the MoI website.The Metrash2 service could be used and accessed by individuals and companies, Qataris as well as expatriates. It could be activated through self-service kiosks installed at 10 locations in Doha and outer areas such as the Qatar Post headquarters, Landmark Mall, Villaggio Mall, Royal Plaza Mall, airport passports department (visa section), LuLu Hypermarket (airport branch), traffic department (Madinat Khalifa), Al Meera (Wakrah), Museum of Islamic Art and Qatar Foundation. The Metrash2 service is available on Ooredoo at present and the fee to get a new smart ID card is QR100. Those interested in e-gate service at the Doha airport can get the same at QR100 for a year, QR150 for two years and QR200 for three years. Available traffic-related services include renewal of driving licences; replacement of lost driving licences; vehicle road permit; vehicle exit permit; transfer of vehicle ownership; transfer of fancy numberplates; certificates for various purposes - such as vehicle clearance, cancelled vehicles, exported vehicles, previously-owned vehicles, first owner, driving licence and distinguished numberplates; viewing registered traffic violations and payment of fines. Such services could be availed through Metrash2 within minutes without anybody’s help. Services related to visit visa - under both personal and corporate sponsorships - that can be availed through Metrash2 include follow-up of applications and approvals; queries on various issues - such as status of application, valid visa for use, visa violation and used visas; visa fee payment; issuing return visa for visit; payment of delay fines; extending visit visas (from inside the country) and renewing unused visit visas.The residency services include issue of exit permits for company-sponsored or personally-sponsored individuals; renewal of residency permit for both; cancellation of the residency; changing the data of expatriates’ passports and separation of dependents from an expatriate’s passport. Other services include activation and renewal of the e-gate card and queries on travel movements, owned companies, number of expatriates under sponsorship and owned vehicles.A Metrash2 user can look for the nearest service centres of the MoI from a smartphone and communicate with the ministry through this service. He will get instant notifications through SMSes on his registered phone number, indicating the status of his application.