Today we queued up for an hour or so to get e-gate ID cards. Although the website said the service would start at 7.30am, when we arrived at 7.15am the place was already busy.

The e-gate cards replace the standard ID cards. They have an embedded chip with our details, which should allow us to fast-track through Doha immigration when arriving and departing without needing to show passport or visa.

First was the fingerprinting.

Then a wait from number F112 until our number F190 came up… about half an hour. We gave in our old ID cards, paid 600 QR for three years of e-gate access, then waited for another 20 minutes for the new cards to be produced.

We collected the new cards and were told to get them authorised on the other side of the room. When we got there we were told they were already authorised… not sure who was right but we will no doubt find out when we fly out next week.