Qatar has introduced Smart ID cards for its citizens and expatriates.

Qataris can now avail of several services offered by these cards, said a report in the Gulf Times.

Expatriates are expected to benefit from the same services by next year, an official said.

The smart card was introduced as a part of the interior ministry's strategy to adopt the hi-tech programmes of security and to improve the services offered to nationals and expatriates, the report added.

'The newly introduced smart ID cards would enable Qataris to avail of many services, including e-gates at the Doha airport, e-government services, issuing exit permits for expatriates, digital signatures and finger printing,' IT Department director Col Saleh Khamis Al Kobeisi is quoted to have said in the report.

'The same type of cards would be available for expatriates next year. They would have the same features in addition to the (provision for online) renewal of residence permits,' he said.

Col al-Kobeisi said that though some other countries had already launched smart ID cards, the Qatari card contained additional features and services.

'Only the UAE, Bahrain and Oman have adopted this type of cards, but theirs do not have all the features that the Qatari one can offer,' he is quoted to have added.