Emirates ID card link to visa procedures in Dubai from April

Eida’s 2011 report attributed the linkage delay in Dubai to the postponement of the opening of two registration centres in Muhaisna and Baraha attached to centres of preventive medicine.

The two centres are set to open in April.

Twenty-six registration centres attached to centres of preventive medicine have been opened in all the emirates.

Eida said there are three steps for registering with a centre of preventive medicine. The first is to fill out the registration form in a typing office.

The second is to undergo a medical test in a preventive medicine centre. The third step is to go to the ID centre attached to the preventive medicine centre.

UAE is nearing completion of the population register and ID card project, according to Dr Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, director-general of Emirates Identity Authority (Eida).

“Till mid-March, about 6.2 million citizens and residents have so far registered in the population register,” Dr Khouri said.

“About 350,000 people are registering per month. 600,000 new and renewed ID cards are being issued monthly,” he added.

“Eida is aiming to complete the project to strengthen e-government in UAE,” Dr Khouri said on the sidelines of “ID World Abu Dhabi 2012” conference which opened last Sunday at the Emirates Centre for Studies in Research and Strategy in Abu Dhabi.

18 government departments want ID cards

18 government departments are now asking for ID cards to complete their transactions, according to Eida’s report from 2011.

According to the report, Eida is aiming to reach 29 bodies and has achieved about 60 per cent of the objective.

Among these bodies are six ministries – interior, labour, health, education, higher education and justice – and other local bodies in all the emirates. The first phase of linking Eida with the six ministries was completed in 2011.

The report said Eida faces the challenge of lack of awareness of the importance and use of the ID card.