EMIRATES: People with Special Needs, Elderly Can Call for Home ID Card Service

. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates / Khaleej Times / November 17, 2008 By Riyasbabu People with special needs and the elderly, do not need to be in queues at the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) centres to obtain their national ID cards. Thanks to the new mobile registration service of EIDA the registration services will be brought to their home. With the mobile service, families of people with special needs or elderly people who cannot physically go to the centres can call the toll free number of EIDA and inform the presence of a special needs person or elderly members in the family. “The families should provide us the information about their location and our registration officials will visit them at their home and register them for the ID card. “There is no special fee involved in this process,” Thamer Rashed M. Al Qasemi, Planning Director of EIDA told Khaleej Times on Sunday. Thamer said the mobile service has been introduced as part of EIDA’s commitment to provide better service. Thamer revealed that the average number of residents registering everyday for ID cards has increased in the past days. “We are managing to process an average of 4,000 applications a day. We do not have any plans to extend the deadlines for registration but we will provide all assistance necessary to help the residents to meet the deadline,” said Thamer. “We know there is a heavy rush at all the centres. We are analysing the situation on a day-today basis. We are aware about the grievances of the people but all the problems came up because everybody waited till the last minute to register,” said Thamer. õ For appointments: Book online www.emiratesid.ae or, call Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) 600 523432. õ Centres to register: Total 28 in UAE õ Registered so far: 656,500 * õ Yet to register: 543,500* õ Documents required: Applicant must carry his/her passport. Interview: It is best to go prepared for a short interview. õ You may be asked questions about your religion, educational qualification and the year you passed out of school/college and your mother tongue. õ After the interview, you will be given a queue number and you then await your turn for being photographed and your electronic signature taken. õ You will also be fingerprinted at another counter. õ Delivery of ID Card: It should take about 10 days. The National Identity Card will be sent by Empost to the address mentioned in the form. (as on November 15) riyasbabu@khaleejtimes.com Copyright © 2008 Khaleej Times