Emirates ID
The Emirates ID card is the identity card issued by the UAE government to citizens and residents of the United Arab Emirates.
All UAE nationals and residents are required to apply for an Emirates ID card.
This page provides information about the features
and benefits of the card as well as the process of applying for it.
What is the Emirates ID?
The Emirates ID is an identity card issued by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security – ICP.
It is a legal requirement for all UAE nationals
and residents to apply for it and to carry it with them at all times. Emirates ID uses:
To obtain government services
As a travel document for UAE nationals to travel within the GCC countries
As a document to pass immigration through electronic gates and smart gates at several airports in the Emirates.
Note: According to ICP, it is against the law to confiscate other people’s Emirates ID cards.
They are only allowed to take personal data on ID cards.
In the event of a violation, cardholders must refer the case to the judicial authorities.
- ID card features
- The ingredients are: smart card
- Biometric fingerprint.
- ID Number
The identity card is distinguished by its identification number known as the ID number,
which remains with its holder forever. With this number, he can benefit from all government services
and some services of non-governmental and private entities,
which require an identity card as proof of who is accessing the service.
The identity number is distinguished by its unique and non-repeating number.
Contains 15 numbers.
electronic chip
It contains the personal data of its owner.
This data can be read by devices designed for this purpose and authenticating user credentials.
Some of this data is encrypted and can only be read/written/updated by authorized authorities in order to protect data privacy.
This chip may store up to 32,000 information letters.
Other techniques
The ID card has the latest technology in the field of smart cards, including micro lettering,
violet ink, and line drawing.
It has nine security features that make card fraud very difficult because such features
are superior to the standards currently used in many cards such as bank credit cards.
Read more about the identity card.
Obtaining an Emirates ID
You can apply for a new Emirates ID card on the website of the Federal Authority for Identity,
Citizenship, Customs and Port Security – ICP or through an authorized typing center.
You may need to visit an ICP Service Center to provide your vital details.
Refer to the International Comparison Program website to learn about the application process,
required documents, and fees for obtaining an Emirates ID
Next, track your Emirates ID application.
Emirates ID within 24 hours
The Federal Authority for Identity and Nationality, Customs,
and Port Security provides an urgent service to obtain an Emirates ID card within 24 hours.
The service is known as “Fawry” and is available for the normally prescribed fee in addition to the expedited service fee.
The service is available to all age groups of UAE nationals
and GCC nationals who are officially residing in the UAE and can be obtained for:
Register for the first time
Renew expired cards
Lost or damaged cards.
As for expatriate residents who are not citizens of the GCC countries,
they are entitled to get urgent service only if their identity cards are replaced because
the issuance or renewal of identity cards is linked to proof of residency and related procedures.
To obtain this service, visit the FAIC Customer Happiness Centers without prior notice and present the specified documents.
Fawry service is available at the following ICP Customer Happiness Centers:
- Al Jazeera and Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi
- Al Barsha, Al Rashi Diya and Karama in Dubai
- Madinat Zayed in the western region
- eye center
- Sharjah Centre
- Ajman Centre
- Fujairah Centre
- Ras Al Khaimah Centre
- Umm Al Quwain Centre.
Renewal of the Emirates identity
When can you renew your Emirates ID card?
The time limit for renewing an expired ID card is 30 days from the expiry date, after which late fees will be applied.
Note that after the Emirates ID card expires, the ID holder must apply for its renewal.
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship,
Customs and Port Security (ICP) will send you a notification via text message asking you to renew your identity card.
You can apply for the ID card renewal service on the ICP website, through the ICP app on Google Play,
App Store, Huawei, or through an authorized printing center.
You may need to visit an ICP Service Center to provide your vital details.
When can the Emirates ID be renewed?
UAE nationals can apply to renew their Emirates ID between six months and one month before the expiry date.
UAE residence visa holders can apply for renewal only when their residence visa has been renewed or re-issued.
Issuing a replacement for a lost or damaged Emirates ID card
If you lose your Emirates ID card, or you suspect it has been stolen, or it has been damaged,
you should soon request a replacement of your Emirates ID card from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship,
Customs and Port Security- ICP.
Here are the steps to replace your Emirates ID:
Report the accident
Contact the nearest ICP Customer Happiness Center and report the incident so that the stolen or lost card is deactivated immediately.
Ask the ICP to confirm your ID number or a copy of your lost ID,
in case you don’t have one. In case of damaged cards, bring the old card with you.
When reporting the accident, remember to bring your identification papers to prove your identity.
UAE nationals must bring an original and valid passport and family book.
GCC nationals must submit a document proving their residency in the UAE.
Expatriate residents must bring their original passports stamped with a valid residence permit.
If the lost ID belongs to a child under the age of 15,
the parent must present the original birth certificate of the child along with their colored passport photograph on a white background.
Apply for a replacement ID card
After reporting the incident, fill out a request form at any of the Federal Authority for
Identity and Citizenship’s Customer Happiness Centers or the UAE’s ICP app available on iTunes
and Google Play and request a replacement of the ID card.
Payment of fees
The applicant must pay 300 dirhams to replace the lost or damaged identity card,
in addition to the application fee of 70 dirhams in the case of submission through printing centers,
or 40 dirhams in the case of submission through the form on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship website.
You can get the Express ID Replacement service at the ICA Customer Happiness Center for an additional AED 150.
Get your new ID card
You will receive a text message from ICP about the status of the submitted order and the expected delivery date.
The ID card will be issued within 48 hours from the time the replacement request is submitted.
Those who have applied for the express service will receive the ID card within 24 hours from the time the replacement application was submitted.
Contact Emirates Post to collect the card after receiving a message from ICP about the card’s availability.
For more information or assistance with the service, contact the ICP Call Center at 6005 30003.
Update details on Emirates ID
According to the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship,
Customs and Port Security (ICP),
the Emirates ID card holder must report any change in his card data to the appropriate department in the ICP within one month from the date of the change.
Apply to amend/update any details related to a valid ID.
Cancellation of the Emirates ID
Residents who intend to cancel their UAE residence visa for the purpose of leaving the country permanently
or for the purpose of changing jobs are required to hand over their ID
cards to the concerned General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs will hand over the returned identity card to the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship,
Customs and Port Security – ICP, which issued the card
For more information about the Emirates ID,
you can contact the International Comparison Program via the “Ask Hamad” service or by phone by calling 600 522222.