You will now be able to renew your Emirates ID
and residence visa online at the same time, saving you precious time and money.
According to a senior General Directorate of
Residency and Foreigners Affairs official, those who want to renew their
Emirates ID and residence visa can fill up the application form online at the
same time without the need to visit typing centres.
All residents have to do is visit the GDRFA
app, Colonel Arif Al Shamsi, director general of GDRFA Sharjah said.
The app also allows you to apply for visit
visas and residence visas from inside and outside the country, as well as track
progress of applications.
Applications received via the app will be
renewed within one to three days, compared to the two-week waiting time
earlier.
Through the app, applicants can track the
status of their visas and clarify their concerns via the chat feature linked to
a customer service representative.
"The chatrooms also cater to the deaf and
the blind and can process complaints, suggestions and other enquiries,"
the official said.
For companies and sponsors applying for the
visas of their staff who are outside the country, procedures are completed within
a week.
People on a three-month visit visa who no
longer have to leave the country to extend their visas may also apply for the
renewal online, at a fee of Dh500. However, they should allow enough time for processing and apply a few days before their visa
expires.
To ensure the success of the application, all
requirements must be submitted properly, including a clear scanned copy of the
Emirates ID and a valid passport, among others.
For procedures where a medical fitness test is
required, Lt Juma said that since the Federal Authority for Identity and
Citizenship is linked with the health ministry's centres, test results are
synced seamlessly.
