20220406 emirates id
National ID cards are now considered as valid travel documents for Emiratis and GCC nationals entering the UAE. Picture for illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News Archives

Abu Dhabi: UAE has allowed Emirati and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens to enter the UAE using their ID cards without the need to show the passport, starting from today, April 29.

In a joint statement issued today, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, announced that the new update comes as part of the UAE’s recent measures taken to ease travel procedures between GCC states.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia adopted a similar move. The Kingdom announced that Saudi and other GCC citizens will now be able to travel to and from the Saudi Arabia using their IDs only.

The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) said it had lifted the suspension on the use of IDs as a valid document for travel to and from Saudi Arabia for Saudi citizens as well as for GCC citizens.

Read more

Jawazat has urged citizens to ensure they meet all requirements for the entry to a GCC country to where they want to travel, emphasising that the family registry card is not a valid document for travel to and from GCC states.