Citizens to face fines for delay in registering for National Identity Cards

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) announced today that there is a continuous fall in the turn out of citizens at its centres to register for the national identity cards.

Though this drop was a result of the EIDA's announcement of a temporary stoppage of the registration for nationals to start registration of residents, the Authority later reopened national registration counters as per request by the citizens. The registration for residents is to resume early next month.

EIDA said in a statement that the excuses by some citizens that the registration centres are overcrowded, are not acceptable, and any delay in registering for national identity cards will attract fines as stipulated by the law.
/WAM/

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EIDA postpones expatriates registration

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) has postponed registration of foreign residents in the UAE to June, according to its Director General Darwish Al Zarouni.

"Registration of foreign residents has been postponed to complete registration of UAE citizens," Al Zarouni said.

Al Zarouni said it is compulsory for both UAE citizens and expatriates to register under the UAE identity programme.

"People should differentiate between registration and applying for identity card. While registration is compulsory for every national and foreign resident, the ID card is optional for children below 15," he added. WAM

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EIDA issues record number of IDs in March

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) announced that it has registered 37,000 persons in March, the highest figure since The Population Register and ID card System was launched in 2006.

EIDA said the record figure, which was made through 19 state-of-the-art registration centres across the country, was a fruit of an extensive awareness campaign EIDA has carried out as part of its strategy to accelerate the population registration of UAE citizens and residents.

Using cutting edge technology, EIDA's project aims to compile a population register database for the government as well as issue electronic identity cards for the whole UAE population. WAM

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Pre-registration facilities for Population Register and ID Card at Emirates Post

Emirates Marketing and Promotions (EMP), a subsidiary of Emirates Post, and Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) announced Monday a partnership to offer pre-registration facilities for Population Register and ID Card at Emirates Post offices and partner outlets.

Under the agreement, EMP has been appointed as the exclusive agent for supporting the Authority with pre-registration and collection facilities. EMP will provide EIDA with filling pre-registration form services, and call centre facilities, as well as support it with marketing and promotions.

"The agreement marks a significant step in enhancing the partnership between EIDA and Emirates Post Group, as the group is already associated with the delivery of ID cards," said Ahmad Tahlak, CEO of EMP.

"As the exclusive agency for handling the Population Register and ID Card Pre-registration, EMP will scrutinize the forms. If there is any error in the data, the customer will be informed by SMS or by our call centre.

''We will also arrange to send bulk forms to companies to be filled and submitted in one lot. We will then give a serial number and enter the data within two days," he added.

"The UAE prides itself on deploying advanced technology for the Population Register and ID Card system," said H.E. Darwish Al Zarouni, Director General, Emirates Identity Authority. "The Population Register and ID card System is a real example of the Government's efforts to implement e-Government and full automation." "Through this partnership with EMP, we will be using the technology and expertise of EMP to maintain accurate record of all entries as well as ensure that every card holder's latest information is entered into the system throughout the process EMP is going to apply during the pre-registration service.

''We are positive the widespread network of Emirates Post will enable us to offer convenience to all residents to register and submit their applications," Al Zarouni added. (WAM)

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EIDA ID card to replace all identity tools in UAE

The identity card issued by the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) will eventually replace driving licences, and the labour, residency, health and the ATM cards, said an official from EIDA on February 5.

The official also said that the ID card will also enable holders to use it as a travel document to all GCC countries, as it works as an e-passport.

Darwish Al Zaraouni, Director-General of the EIDA, inaugurated a new registration centre of EIDA at Tanmia’s headquarters in Al Nahda together with Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi, Minister of Labour and Chairman, Board of Trustees of Tanmia, the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority.

Dr Al Kaabi said, “The Population Register Project and the ID Card system are among the most important initiatives in the UAE, which is setting an excellent example for other regional governments. The project will also perfectly complement the unified database that Tanmia plans to set up, which will link all the databases of the local and federal authorities. The project will also be integrated with the unified job application form and the unified information system announced by Tanmia.”

“Tanmia is committed to extend its total support to the EIDA to enable the Authority to efficiently achieve its target of registering all UAE Nationals and residents, in line with the vision of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” he added.

Al Zaraouni said, “Tanmia and EIDA share certain common goals in line with the vision of the country’s leaders, and we commend Tanmia’s support to the Population Register Project and the ID card initiative. The opening of this new centre, which is the only one in Deira at present, will benefit a significant number of nationals and residents in the area”.

The EIDA is an independent federal authority that is solely responsible for the execution of the Population Register Project and the new identity card system. The new EIDA registration centre in Tanmia’s office will enable the people residing near the Al Nahda area to easily register in the project. The centre will accept a maximum of 40 applications a day.

According to the EIDA, registration for expatriate employees in the government sector and large companies has recently commenced, while the registration for all expatriates will open in May 2008. Source

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EIDA open registration centre at DNRD

Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA), has announced the opening of a new registration center at the Dubai Department of Naturalisation and Residency (DNRD), taking to 14 the total number of regsitration centres across the country.

Darwish Al Zarouni, general director of EIDA, who inaugurated the centre along with DNRD Director Brigadier Mohammed Al Murri, told reporters that :''Opening of the DNRD centre comes in line with EIDA 2007 - 2010 strategy, which includes the opening of more registration centres throughout the UAE in order to facilitate enrolment in the Population Register and ID Card Program for all UAE nationals and residents, saving them the difficulties of moving to registration centres far from their places of residence".

He said this was the 14th registration centre and more are on the pipeline in the emirates of Umm Al Qaiwain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

''The centre is fully equipped and comprises four registration lines, two of them for women,''he added.

''According to our strategy, we plan to complete registration of UAE nationals before May. A stage for residents' registration will follow,''he explained.

Brigadier Al Murri said the move was a fruit of six-month extensive discussions with EIDA. (WAM)

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EIDA’s mobile registration service

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) yesterday officially launched its mobile registration service in the capital. The mobile service aims at making the population registration procedure easier, by reaching out to the residents at their homes. Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior and Deputy Chairman of EIDA, launched the mobile registration van and inaugurated EIDA’s new web site.

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Smart ID Cards for Every Resident

Iris scans will be taken from both eyes as part of security enhancements to the forthcoming national ID card, which will eventually be required for the five million expatriates and citizens in the country, a senior official said.
Mohammad Masoud Al Mazroui, Director of Population Register Department at the Emirates National Identity Authority (EIDA), said it will function as an all-in-one card that will replace labour, residency and health cards. It will also act as an e-gate, ATM card and an e-passport when crossing into other GCC countries.
To combat fraud, the card will have a three-factor authentication – password, smart card and biometrics, a fingerprint or iris scan.
“It’s mandatory for everyone in the UAE. We will introduce two biometrics - fingerprint and iris scan. Fingerprints don't work with some labourers who have rough hands,” explained Al Mazroui.
Iris scans will also work with old people who have lost the grooves on their fingers due to age, he said.
The ID project, first introduced in June 2005 among UAE nationals, will be introduced to non-citizens in the UAE from mid-2007.
The card will have two 64-kilobyte chips (most smart card-based national ID system only have one chip) to store information as well as overt and covert anti-fraud features.
The mass enrolment of the national ID system will start by the middle of 2007 through 14 registration centers across the country. These will be increased to 35 next year.
For damaged or lost cards, there will be 14 card renewal centers and replacements across the country, said Al Mazroui.
Home delivery service of smart IDs will start next month, he said.
“This system was introduced to help enhance homeland security, minimize identity theft, improve access and delivery of public service, develop a national population database and help decision makers,” Al Mazroui told a panel of experts at the recent two-day Identity Summit in Dubai.
“It’s designed to get rid of these dozen or so cards in my wallet I have now,” said Al Mazroui.
“This is one of the most ambitious projects of its kind in the world as it uses dual smart chips, instead of just one.” said Alan Brill, founder of the US-based Kroll security agency and a expert on computer fraud.

About The Card

The cost of the card is Dh100 per year for expatriates
For citizens, the card costs Dh100, valid for 5 years (Dh50 for 15 years old or below)
Iris data will be stored in the ID Card chip (chip data are digitally signed & encrypted) and will be used to check the identity of the applicants.

Functions
Residency Permit/ Card
Labour Card
Health Card
GCC Travel Passport
e-Gate
ATM Card
e-Purse (e-Cash – e-Dirham) Source

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EIDA launches new centre in Dubai

Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) announced the launch of Al Barsha Registration center at Dubai, which gives the UAE nationals and residents at Dubai the chance to register in the population register and ID card programme.
Bader Nasser Al Ghaithi, Director of Administration and relations affairs Department at Emirates Identity Authority, said that opening of Al Barsha Center is within the framework of EIDA strategy for the years 2007 - 2010 which includes the opening of more registration centers in order to facilitate registration in the Population Register and ID Card program for all UAE nationals and residents throughout the UAE.
Al Ghaithi said that six more Registration Centers are expected to open by the end of 2007, which shall be distributed over various areas of the UAE. He pointed out that two centers will be opened at Al Ain city: Al Hair area and Al Yahr within Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club along with another center at Al Dhaid, Sharjah within the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as "Tam" Center for Integrated Services at Al Ghiyathi and Silaa in the Western Region.

On Al Barsha Registration Center, Al Ghaithi confirmed that male and female UAE nationals from the region were recruited to operate the center and oversee registration operations, which reflects the Authority's concern to create new job opportunities for UAE nationals throughout the UAE.

On his part, Youssef Al Bloushi, Director of Al Barsha Registration Center said that the center is located at Al Barsha Zone 3 and is the third registration center at the Emirate of Dubai besides Al Karama and the Municipality registration centers, and the first permanent registration center in the emirate.Source

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EMPOST to deliver ID card

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Emirates Corporation for Commercial Postal Services (Empost) based on which the latter will deliver by courier service identity cards to persons registered in the UAE population register programme. EIDA Director General, Darwish Al Zaraouni, signed the agreement for his outfit, while Empost CEO, Sultan Al Midfa, also signed for his side during a ceremony attended by a number of officials from both sides.Based on the agreement, EIDA would, from next month (July), start providing express courier service for the delivery of the new ID cards to registered persons in the population register programme inside the UAE. The EIDA has earlier signed an agreement with another company, "Smart Systems", which would take the responsibility of parceling the ID cards with the names and address of the owner, while Empost takes the responsibility of delivering the parcel to its rightful owner. Al Zaraouni said the step was within the framework of the EIDA's policy aiming to improve its performance and services to its clients by saving them time and efforts, adding that it also aims at avoiding congestion at the registration centres to provide the unique environment for the successful execution of the programme in accordance with the federal government strategy of improving public services delivery. Al Midfa, for his part, said the new service adds to the long list of excellent courier services being provided by the Empost in collaboration with various government agencies in the UAE with the aim of facilitating government procedures, adding that the population register programme needs the support and cooperation of all government and private institutions in view of the programme's promising strategic objectives, which would place the UAE among the advanced countries of the world.Regarding the role of "Smart Systems" in the execution of this new service, the company's general manager, M'otaz Zaidan, said this service would contribute immensely in uplifting the standard of government services throughout the country. "This stems from our deep desire to contribute in the improvement of services being provided by government departments and institutions," he said. Source

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