No fines for expats who fail to register for ID cards

Abu Dhabi Expatriate professionals in the UAE can continue to register for their identity cards even after the deadline of December 31, Gulf News has learnt.

The Emirates Identity Authority issued a reprieve on Tuesday saying fines won't be imposed on expatriate professionals who fail to get the ID card before the end of December. "Although we don't extend the deadline for the professionals, we will be ready to continue their registration even after the deadline but at the cost of certain inconveniences," said Darwish Ahmad Al Zarouni, Director General of Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA).

"But for UAE Nationals, no services shall be provided without the ID from January 1, 2009 as per law," he said. The reprieve isn't an extension of the deadline because EIDA will open the registration for another category of expatriates from January 1 as per plan.

Thamer Rashid Al Qasimi, Planning Director and Project Management Director at EIDA, said although no punitive measures like fines or freezing of bank accounts will be imposed on those who do not register, EIDA cannot help if any organisation demands identity cards for official transactions after December 31.