H.E. Dr. Al Ka'abi inaugurates new Emirates Identity Authority registration center at Tanmia headquarters

H.E. Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, UAE Minister of Labour and Chairman, Board of Trustees of Tanmia, the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority, today inaugurated the new registration center of the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) located at Tanmia's headquarters in Al Nahda, Dubai. Also present at the inauguration ceremony was Darwish Al Zaraouni, General Director of the EIDA, and Mohamad Khayily, managing director of the registration centres of EIDA.

The EIDA is an independent federal authority that is solely responsible for the execution of the Population Register Project and the new identity card system. The new EIDA registration center in Tanmia's office - which is the first in Deira - will enable UAE Nationals and residents residing near the Al Nahda area to easily register in the project. The center will accept a maximum of 40 applications a day.

Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Dr. Al Ka'abi said, "The Population Register Project and the ID Card system are among the most important initiatives in the UAE, which is setting an excellent example for other regional governments. This project will also perfectly complement the unified database that Tanmia plans to set up, which will link all the databases of the local and federal authorities. The project will also be integrated with the unified job application form and the unified information system announced by Tanmia."

"Tanmia is committed to extend its total support to the EIDA to enable the Authority to efficiently achieve its target of registering all UAE Nationals and residents, in line with the vision of President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan," he added.

Darwish Al Zaraouni said, "Tanmia and EIDA share certain common goals in line with the vision of the country's leaders, and we commend Tanmia's support to the Population Register Project and the ID card initiative. The opening of this new center, which is the only one in Deira at present, will benefit a significant number of Nationals and residents in the area."

According to the Emirates Identity Authority, registration for expatriate employees in the government sector and large companies has recently commenced, while the registration for all expatriates will open in May 2008.

The identity card issued by EIDA enables holders to use it as a travel document to all GCC countries, as it works as an e-passport. It will eventually replace driving licences, and labour, residency and health cards. Moreover, it will act as an ATM card, while the E-gate and E-Dirham facilities will also be integrated onto the cards.

In addition to the registration center at the Tanmia headquarters, EIDA has 14 other registration centers across the UAE - in Al Karama Center, Dubai; Al Barsha Center, Dubai; Al Ain Center in Al Ain; Al Mushref Center, Abu Dhabi; Silaa, Ghiyathi and Delma and Zayed City located in TAMM Center in Western Zone; and Cooperation Center and Al Dhaid registration center in Sharjah.