UAE launches 10-year passport for citizens aged 21 years and above
New service will be available from tomorrow, July 8
Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Passport Authority has announced that it will begin implementing procedures to extend the validity period of Emirati passports to 10 years from five years in accordance with a previous decision issued by the UAE Cabinet in March 2024.
According to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), this new service will be available to citizens aged 21 years and above, starting tomorrow, Monday, July 8.
The new amendments include more facilities and comprehensive digital services that will be provided by the concerned authorities.
The validity period of the Emirati passport was five years from the date of its issuance. It is worth noting that the new 10-year passport service will also reduce the customer’s trip from two trips to only one trip every 10 years, which supports the government’s efforts to simplify bureaucratic procedures and save time for citizens.
The new Emirati passports will be issued for a period of 10 years with the same procedures and approved delivery channels as the current passports. Citizens can apply for the new service when their current passports expire.
The UAE passport is among the most powerful passports in the Arab world. The Ministry of Interior recently began issuing electronic passports to the country’s citizens in accordance with international technical and security requirements.
Passports for newborns
Parents of Emiratis can obtain passports for their newborns through the “Mabrouk Ma Yak” service package, which allows the issuance of all identification documents for the newborn such as birth certificate, passport and Emirates ID card at the same time.
Starting from July 8, any new issued passport is valid for a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of its issuance, or until all its pages are finished, whichever comes first. Therefore, the passport is not valid for extension after its expiration, but its holder must apply for a new passport.
UAE passport issuance request
UAE citizens can apply for issuance or renewal of passports, or obtain a replacement for lost or damaged ones, through several channels, including:
. General Directorates of Residency and Foreigners Affairs/Nationality Department
. Nationality and Residency Portal (eChannels)
. Online Passport Issuance Service for Citizens - Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security.
. Passport issuance service at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah airports
. GDRFA at Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports
. If the passport holder is outside the country and his passport has expired, or for some reason his passport has been lost or damaged, he/she can contact the country’s representative missions abroad to issue a new passport.