EIDA’s fresh warning for card collection delay

The Emirates National Identity Authority (EIDA) has issued a new warning to applicants who miss the 90-day deadline to collect their national cards, saying the card will be destroyed and holders will be fined Dh300.

EIDA’s director general Ali Al Khoury said those who apply for a new card or renewal of their cards must collect them within three months after they receive the first notification by SMS on their mobile phone, adding that Emirates Post (Empost) normally send six notifications to card holders.

“Cards which are not collected within 90 days from the first notification will be destroyed but that does not mean the applicant’s data will be annulled…they will be retained by EIDA and in this case holders must apply for a replacement,” he told the Sharjah-based Arabic language daily Alkhaleej.

He said a replacement can be issued at registration offices or online by filling a new application for a fee of Dh300.

“We call on all applicants to collect their cards within 90 days from the first notification to avoid having their cards destroyed,” Khoury said.

He said EIDA, which is overseeing a landmark nation-wide ID project, has signed agreement with Empost to deliver cards to all applicants in their respective emirates. “Empost sends six SMS in English and Arabic to the mobile phones of the applicants asking them to come and collect their cards,” he said.

Khoury’s comments follow growing public complaints that cards end up at Empost centres located far from their areas. Others say that a 90-day deadline is not enough as they could be outside the UAE for more than three months.

“Last month, I had to take a day off work to travel nearly an hour outside Abu Dhabi to collect my card…I applied in Abu Dhabi city but Empost informed me my card is in Suweihan, which I have never visited,” Imad Hariri said.

In press remarks last week, EIDA said it is planning to replace the present delivery system with on-the-spot facility that allows holders to receive their renewed cards just after they apply at registration centres.

“Eida has gone a long way in addressing this problem,” Eida Ali Mohammed Al Khoury said after an Authority meeting on Tuesday.

“We are in the process of creating what is termed as decentralised typing centres…four such centres will be set up on a trial basis soon…they will allow applicants to receive their cards within minutes.”