90% of UAE expats still to register for ID cards

CARD REGISTRATION: Only 10 percent of expat professionals have registered for the new ID card.

Only about 10 percent of expat professionals have so far registered for the new identity card but Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) officials have no plans to extend the Dec. 31 deadline.

Just 60,000 of the estimated 600,000 white collar expat workers have registered for the new card, Thamer Rashid Al-Qasimi, planning director and project management director at EIDA said in comments published on Tuesday.

He added that the organisation could not extend the deadline and reiterated that people who don't register before the end of 2008 will face having government-run services withheld.

"We cannot extend the deadline or say that non- registration before deadline will not attract any problems," Al-Qasimi told UAE daily Gulf News.

He said that although EIDA does not have the authority to take punitive measures like freezing bank accounts of non-registered residents, government or central bank can take any such measures if they wanted.

"Although we know that it is difficult to finish the registration of more than 500,000 expat professionals before the deadline, we cannot do anything now. People delayed it even though the newspapers published the information on expat registration on July 2," added Al-Qasimi.

He said EIDA would take all steps to ease the pressure and would also take appropriate steps if registration is not finished by December end.

He added that new software would be available on the EIDA website from Tuesday evening to allow people to access the pre-application forms for registration.

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READERS' COMMENTS

ID Cards
Posted by Mark, Sharjah, UAE on Thursday 20 November 2008 at 14:14 UAE time


As usual the authorities do not have any clue what they are talking or doing, they give us a date for registration in end march and the newspaper say the deadline is Dec 2008. I think they should use expat knowledge / planning for everything that they do, not only building of metro, bridges, roads etc etc which the expats have done for this country so smoothly.

registration at airport immigration (inbound)
Posted by landobserver, London, UK on Wednesday 19 November 2008 at 12:17 UAE time


Perhaps it would be useful to those expats who travel alot if the ID authority could set up desks at the the arrival queues in the airports for those professionals arriving back in the country after trip.

In this way the time going through an immigration queue or e-gate could aslo double in registering those professionals who have little time to queue at ID centers on the possible chance that they will get an appointment. As they will have their passports with them and other documentation on their person at the time it could help ease the situation.

Be innovative and throw some more resources at this issue rather dig your heads in the sand & given expats a reason to gripe about this issue!

ID Cards
Posted by Andy Williamson, Sharjah, UAE on Wednesday 19 November 2008 at 11:57 UAE time


Having been working in Bahrain and come to the UAE I have just got my residency visa. I do not have a problem with the ID card system but I have had difficulties in processing the application - even getting the process going - no forms at the post office, etc.

Is there a separate procedure for new visa issues - not that I can find.

I do not understand why the ID card was not processed at the same time I went through the paperwork, medical, etc., etc. for the the visa.

This should be the logical step

after all , we are expats...;-)
Posted by Abeer on Wednesday 19 November 2008 at 10:12 UAE time

I understand we are expats, and if we whine alot we have a choice of going back to our country..however, we are legally residing here, we work here and now UAE is home...we celebrate ur indepence day and care for it as if it IS our home...then y are we treated with disrespect at the centers??and God bless those who don't have the advantage of the Arabic lanuage...i mean seriously...
1st...the locals were informed about EID in July, not the expats...
2nd... concentrate on the locals and make sure they are registered and then allow us to do what we are told to do!
3rd...what is this new thing about ID cards? the tolls, increased rents, increased taxi fares from sharjah and possibly VAT wasnt enough that we have to pay for an ID card and renew it everytime its expired?
4th...Atleast improve the cusotmer service so our questions are answered...who needs it?whats the age limit?what punishments are u talking about?
5th...make it compulsory for all companies to make the cards for all their employers..like labor cards...this way we can concentrate on our work and getting home with the drastic traffic and the PRO of the company can manage the ID for us....
6th..the gov can do anything...why cant they extend the deadline..give us another year or so...
please have mercy...
This is our home too..let us love our home...and respect the ppl!

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