More time for renewal of ID cards in 3 emirates

Abu Dhabi: Thousands of expatriates in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah will get more time to register for ID cards and renew existing cards without paying fines.

October 31, 2011, was the deadline for all expatriates in the country to renew their existing ID cards and thereafter they had to pay a Dh20 fine per day which may go up to a maximum of Dh1,000.

But the Emirates Identity Authority (Emirates ID) has extended that deadline for expatriates in three emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, a spokesperson of the authority told on Tuesday.

Those who have not registered for a new card in these emirates have more time, he said.

No fines collected

Now the October 31 renewal coincides with the deadline for registering for a new card in each of these emirates as announced earlier — January 31 in Sharjah, March 31 in Abu Dhabi and May 31 in Dubai, the spokesman explained.

Accordingly, the deadline for expatriates in these emirates to register for a new card and renew the existing card will be the same.

The spokesman revealed that no fines were collected after the October 31 deadline from those who renewed their cards in these emirates.

However, October 31 was the deadline for all Emiratis across the country to register for new cards and renew the existing ones

So, Emiratis across the country and expatriates in the four other emirates — Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah — who crossed the deadline have already paid the fines, the spokesman said.

"They were not given any reprieve because their deadline had ended long back," the spokesman said.

November 31 was the deadline for expatriates in those four emirates to register for the cards.

Expatriates in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, whose residence visa expires in 2012, do not rush to take an ID card now, the spokesman said.

They have to take the card when they renew their visas this year, irrespective of the announced deadlines.