Thousands yet to register for ID cards

Abu Dhabi: Nearly 500,000 expat professionals and about 229,000 Emiratis are yet to register for their ID cards before the December 31 deadline, Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) said.

It said most of them will miss the deadline because of the public holidays until December 13.

Although EIDA will continue the registration after the deadline, no services shall be provided to Emiratis without the ID card from January 1.

Expat professionals have to face certain inconveniences, said Thamer Rashid Al Qasimi, Planning Director and Project Management Director at EIDA.

"Still they many not face long queues of other categories of expats in January as EIDA will open the registration for other expat category on February 1 only," he said.

EIDA has decided to give special consideration to Emiratis who are unable to register because of not having access to their family book or passport for genuine reasons, said Al Qasimi.

Problems

Many Emiratis had complained that they are unable to register for the ID card because they did not have access to their family book due to family problems.

"EIDA has decided to give certain concession to such people, many of them are separated parents. They can approach General Directorate of Naturalisation and Residency to get an authenticated copy of their family book which will be accepted by EIDA for registration," said the official.

Some Emiratis complained that they were compelled to surrender their passport with local courts for legal cases. They can also produce authenticated copy of passports. Such concessions are not required for expatriates as they do not face any punitive measures for non-registration at the moment, said the official.

EIDA reminded the employers that it is illegal to keep the passports of their expatriate employees.

"Many expatriate professionals complained to EIDA that they are unable to register because their passports are with PRO's of the companies," he said.

As per the law it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their employees register for ID card, pointed out the official.

About 596,000 of 825,000 estimated Emiratis and 107,000 of 600,000 expatriate professionals completed the registration by November 30, Al Qasimi said.

"About 73,000 people registered in November which is the highest turn out so far. About 60-70 per cent capacity of major centres of EIDA was utilised last month whereas the turn out was low at the centres in remote areas."

Empost has not sent my smartform back to even after three weeks to enable me toregister inspite of several calls made to them.
Mobeen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 06, 2008, 13:02