ID cards to be linked to residency visas from July

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA), which is overseeing the nation-wide identity scheme launched a few years ago, said on Sunday it was in the process of setting up ID registration centres at preventives medicine departments in Abu Dhabi to facilitate visa procedures.

The first centre at the preventive medicine in the industrial area of Mussaffah just outside the capital will be ready in June while the second one at the main preventive medicine department inside the city will start operating towards the end of July.

“This means plans to link ID registration to issuance of new visa residence or renewal of existing residence will be completed by July…this plan is part of an overall project to link ID to residence through the UAE,” the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad said after a meeting of EIDA in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

It quoted EIDA director general Ali Khouri as saying these new centres would also expand the registration capacity and support plans to develop a demographic registration project in the UAE.

At present, expatriates in most emirates are not required to produce their national ID to have a blood test for visa issuance or renewal at preventive medicine departments.

Officials said the new centres mean that such procedures would change as an ID registration would be required for blood tests, without which visa measures would not be processed.

Preventive medicine sources said those without ID would be required to register at the centres to be set up at their department before having a blood test for residence, adding that such procedures could be completed in just one day.

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