By Binsal Abdul Kader and Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporters www.gulfnews.com
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: The National ID card has been made mandatory for expatriates to access traffic and licensing services across the country except for Dubai emirate, senior officials said.
It is already mandatory for Emiratis across the country and expatriates in Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah to access the Ministry of Interior Services, including traffic and licensing services, since November 2009.
The ID card is compulsory for expatriates in Abu Dhabi to access some of the traffic department services since August 2010. “But all traffic and licensing services in Abu Dhabi will require the ID card now,” Dr Ali Al Khoury, Director-General of Emirates Identity Authority (Emirates ID), told Gulf News on Monday.
In Dubai, the ID card will be made mandatory from December for expatriates working in government and semi-government organisations, in order to obtain traffic services. But it will be mandatory for all expatriates in Dubai to access traffic services by mid-2012. The deadline for expatriates in Dubai to apply for ID cards is May 31, 2012.
“The Emirates ID card is already a must for UAE nationals for traffic and licence procedures. From December 1, this will be extended to all the expatriates working in government and semi-government offices too,” Ahmad Hashim Behroozian, CEO of the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) Licensing Agency, told Gulf News yesterday. More info
