UAE | Government

ID card website continues to frustrate expatriates

As the deadline for the ID card looms, residents are becoming increasingly frustrated as attempts to register are being thwarted.

  • By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:37 November 17, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Residents attempting to register for the compulsory National ID cards have had to suffer long queues at application centres, only to be turned away.
  • Image Credit: Megan Hirons/Gulf News
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Abu Dhabi: With the deadline to get identity cards approaching fast, people are frustrated as many of them are neither able to fill up an online application form nor get an appointment with Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) to register for their cards.

Most of them were worried whether they would be able to complete the registration before December 31, amid reports on possible sanctions like freezing of bank accounts from January 1, 2009 of Emiratis and expatriate professionals who don't register.

Many of them were disappointed after failing to fill up the application online. "Whenever I opened the EIDA website, the application was not available and finally when I got it after 15 attempts, it disappeared before I completed the form", said G. Nair a Gulf News reader in Dubai.

Others who were fortunate to fill up the application form online or did it through Empost post offices were complaining about non-availability of appointments.

They said they could not register even after waiting for long time in queues in front of EIDA centres.

"It would not be fair to fix December 31 as a deadline, if EIDA is not in a position to handle the pressure and grant appointments", said Arish Ehsan in Abu Dhabi.

Considering such complaints, EIDA has developed free software to replace online application form and are trying to increase the capacity of registrations, a senior official told Gulf News on Sunday.

"There is no move to freeze bank accounts of Emiratis or expatriate professionals who don't register before the deadline," said Engineer Thamer Rashed Al Qasemi, Planning Director and Project Management Director at EIDA.

"EIDA does not have that authority but Emiratis may find it difficult to do certain official transaction from January 2009, as per a law in this regard", said Al Qasemi.

"The law stipulates that l Identity cards will be the only valid document for Emiratis for identification for any official transactions from January 1, 2009", said Al Qasemi.

He clarified, "Applicants will no longer face 'web failure' due to heavy traffic to fill up the application online. They will soon get a free software of 'pre application registration' which will enable the applicant to fill up the form on a computer even without an internet connection, and take the print out with the bar code to proceed for registration, said the official. Apart from EIDA website, free CDs of software will be available at all EIDA centres which can be copied and redistributed, said Al Qasemi.

"People will be able to download it from several other websites which have offered to host the 'software'. We welcome other organisations (having websites) to follow the suit and contact me on my email: talqasemi@emiratesid.ae," he said.

The arrangement with the Empost post offices to fill up the forms at a cost of Dh 40 will continue and it is meant for people who don't have access to a computer.

Registration: New system

- How to register with new system: Fill up forms by free software (pre-application registration) which will be available soon on www.emiratesid.ae or other websites or on free CDs at EIDA centres. Take the print out of form with bar code and proceed for registration at EIDA centres (most of them work from 7.30am to 10pm) with required documents. (Family book and original passport for Emiratis and original passports for expatriates).

- Application forms can be filled up at Empost post offices at a cost of Dh40.

- You can take an appointment to register on toll free number 600 523 432.

(No appointment available at major centres until December 31)

Have your say
Have you registered for the identity card yet? What are the problems you have faced? With the deadline approaching, how can the process be made easier for residents? Tell us by filling in the comments form below.


Your comments


Most of the comments here are negative. I filled up the application online four weeks ago and got an appointment in Al Dhaid and it was over in a few minutes. When the authorities give an important notice most of us ignore it and hope that they will extend the deadline. Eventually, when the deadline approaches, there?s nation-wide panic!
Tamilselvan Mahalingam
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 17:18

I am going to register after trying to fill in my application for the past two weeks. The centres are not equipped to handle the large crowds and people are getting frustrated. The authorities must take some immediate action to resolve this. More centres should be opened and the deadline extended.
Unnikrishnan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 17:06

I tried to make an appointment through the website and on the phone but was told that there are no more appointment slots and that I had to go to a centre and stand in line. How much more time must we waste?
Mark
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 17:05

I had to make four trips and wait for nearly five hours to get my form typed and registered. Proper queuing system would enable the early birds to get their fair chance. People who come to centres as early as 4am are victims of push-and-run activities. Voluntary services from willing individuals would reduce the load on the departments.
Raghuram
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 16:45

A more systematic approach and additional registration centres would suffice. With hundreds of thousands of expatriates wanting to register, what would you expect? It will only create greater chaos and frustration. The authorities should have expected such a rush and prepared to handle it because they set a deadline.
Ruth
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 16:39

After one week of trying I was able to complete the form and get a printout with the bar codes. Now when I called the helpline for an appointment, the woman simply refused. She said that they were overbooked and I had to come to the centre after November 30 if I needed an appointment.
Kashif Raza Kahot
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 08:23

Even if you register online but do not receive a confirmation about your appointment via a text message, you will not be entertained. I have booked more than 10 appointments and have never received a confirmation. They should do something about this.
Michael
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 08:19

Back in July when I read in Gulf News that the EIDA had issued a second deadline, my staff and I went online, made the appointments, printed the barcodes, and visited the EIDA branch in Al Barsha. I was second in line. I was registered, photographed, and given a delivery ticket in less than 45 minutes. The card was scheduled for delivery in four days time. The next day the security at my apartment building called and told me they were trying to deliver my emirates ID card. I think the problem is that many expatriates choose to ignore official notices which is why such problems occur.
Fred Donham
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 08:05

The EIDA should open more centres to handle the situation better. People are frustrated because they have to handle their office work as well as their homes. In this situation if the authorities do not process the work quickly, a lot would have to explain to their bosses why they are slacking off. The emirates ID card is a good idea but they should make it easy for people to register.
Irshad Ahmad Kasam Khopatkar
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 08:01

Empost offices are always out of registration forms. I am working and I find it very difficult to leave work just to try my luck in getting a form. The EIDA should at least distribute these forms through employers and have registration centres in all shopping malls to make it more accessible, especially for people with children and those that do not have their own conveyance.
H. M.
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 08:01

I was able to fill up the application and get an appointment online with out any trouble as I did it as early as 5am. During office hours it is impossible to apply for one. However, we were still not able to register because they did not honour our appointment time. We came 30 minutes before our appointment, which was at 5.30pm. We were told that getting an appointment through the internet was useless, we had to come at 7.30am and queue up with everyone else.
Alma Bravo
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:57

My colleagues are struggling to even enter the long queues that starts from 3am. Since Dubai obviously cannot handle this load, my colleagues even tried Sharjah, witnessing fights between people, irrespective of whether they were male or female. Now they are trying their luck in Ajman. The authorities should consider a token system.
Sandeep
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:57

I have been trying for past two months but am unable to log onto the website. I have also called the emirates ID phone number but could not connect at all. There is nothing else I can do.
Zeeshan Arshad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:52

The deadline of December 31 for the registration of the ID cards is really not justified without providing another grace period of time. It is unfair because the authorities do not have the capacity of handling the pressure. Many people are under immense stress from trying to register online or by waiting in long queues. They should provide solutions, especially for those with families. Registration must be made easier and not by struggling all the way. We are hoping that they would act now to resolve this matter.
Jojo
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:48

My family and I applied during mid October. The online application was difficult to complete during the day, so I stayed up late one night and completed everything quickly. I got an appointment in two days in the Al Rashidiya centre, which was almost empty at the time. The application process, photographs and finger prints took a maximum of 30 minutes, and we received our cards five days later. We have known for a long time that this was coming. Many people are just lazy. They only act if they think they will be fined, which should not be tolerated.
Anil
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:33

How do you expect people with children to queue up for several hours? No real thought was put behind the process of getting the ID cards.
Jo Vlassenbroeck
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:25

I suppose I was lucky because the process of getting my ID card went smoothly. This was in October and there was no rush at all.
M. H. Al Hamed
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:18

I applied and submitted the application forms for my family via Empost. We applied in Empost because we were guaranteed an easy and fast process. We applied on November 2 and to date we have not received the application froms. I kept calling Empost as well as EIDA but they kept telling me that it is still under process. How could we proceed if they have not done their part to expedite the processing? I have tried so many times to register online and apply for an appointment but failed each time.
Sheryl San Pedro
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 07:17

I am so frustrated. I went to the Al Barsha centre at 5.45am with my printed form. There were already hundreds of people waiting. An official arrived at 6.15am saying only the first 100 would be accepted and that the rest would have to come back the next day. This is very difficult.
Jamal
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 17, 2008, 06:57

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