Finally. Beginning in April, residents in Dubai must register for an Emirates ID card immediately after applying for their residence visa. The move follows the linking of the six centres which perform medical checks for visas into the Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) system, making for a easy one-stop process.
In addition, a new online application system that allows residents to apply for or renew their ID cards without visiting typing centres is also in the works and the faster system should be implemented within a couple of months. There is no getting out of having to apply for an ID card and the deadline for all categories is fast approaching. The cards are essential for government and financial transactions and are a valuable security tool.
Now that the process has been linked in Dubai to the visa renewal and application system, a lot of the confusion has been removed.
And for that, Eida should be happy.
