EIDA launches online registration

Persons applying for a renewal or a new national identity card need no longer to wait in big queues at registration centres as they can now benefit from an online registration service launched on Thursday.

With a click on a few buttons on their personal computer, applicants who have credit cards can now register while at home or office without the need to go through agonizing waiting at packed typing centres.

The Emirates National Identity Authority (EIDA), which is overseeing a nation-wide ID project, said the new services involves new registration, renewal of existing cards, and replacement of lost or damaged cards.

“Applicants can also check the status of their application online…payment can be done by credit card after the applicants register with EIDA website so they can be given a password,” EIDA said in a statement.

EIDA director general Ali Al Khoury said the new service, which is now confined to expatriates, would save time and effort for both the public and registration offices through the UAE.

“It also reduces the Dh70 fee paid by applications to registration offices by 40 per cent…once the applicants finish registration online, they will be given an appointment to go for stamping.”

He said the scores of ID typing and registration centres would continue to operate and serve those who do not wish to register online.

Deportees cannot return to UAE without Interior Ministry’s permission

Expatriates deported from the UAE cannot return to the country, unless they have a judicial or administrative ruling or special permission from the Ministry of Interior.

This is in accordance with a new legal principle, issued by the Dubai Court of Cassation. A visit visa or a residence permit issued by the General Department for Residency and Foreigners Affairs (DGDRFA) stands void if there is no permission of the Interior Minister, the court ruled.

The principles were issued when the court considered the appeal of a foreign woman, who was fined Dh10,000 and was deported.

The Dubai Public Prosecution referred the woman for trial as she entered the UAE without the permission of the Interior Minister.

The Court of First Instance heard the case and fined her Dh10,000 to be followed by deportation. But the woman took the case to the Appeals Court, which upheld the ruling.

Unsatisfied by the two verdicts, she then moved the Court of Cassation, which issued the above principles.

The woman’s argument was that she had a residence visa and is sponsored by her Emirati husband.

But the Court of Cassation rejected her clarifications stating that Interior Ministry’s data as well as her fingerprints confirm the fact that she had been previously deported from the UAE under charges of prostitution. And that she later returned on a visit visa and then changed status to residence visa under the sponsorship of her husband. This, the court ruled, is in violation of the legal rule as well as the Interior Minister's decision.

The Court of Cassation based its ruling on Federal Law No. 6 of 1973, as amended by Law No. 13 of 1996 on entry and residence of foreigners.

Dubai urged to link visa to traffic record

Dubai’s traffic police chief has suggested linking residence visa for expatriates to their traffic record within an ongoing campaign to curb road accidents and attain a zero death target in 2020.

Major General Mohammed Saif al Zafin also revealed the emirate is considering raising the penalty for using the mobile phone while driving, saying the present Dh200 fine is not a sufficient deterrent.

“There is a need to link the issuance of residence visas to the traffic record of expatriates in order to push some groups who top the list of offenders to abide by traffic laws in the emirate,” he said.

“Introducing stiffer penalties and then linking them to residence visas will have a great effect on drivers’ compliance and on reducing road accidents and deaths…the police do not at all want to harm any people in their livelihood but only want to ensure they respect the law.”

Speaking at a seminar on mobile phone use in cars held in Dubai on Thursday, Zafin referred to a recent traffic police report that Pakistanis top the list of road accident causers, adding that there should be measures to deter them. He also proposed cutting the extra speed limit for motorists.

“I believe the 20 km extra speed limited allowed in Dubai is exaggerated and must be reduced to 10 km,” he said.

“The speed limits in some Dubai streets are not compatible with those roads and should be either raised or reduced depending on the nature of the road.”

Speaking about mobile phone use in cars, Zafin said Dubai is considering raising the current fine on the grounds it does not deter drivers.

“The Dubai traffic department is looking forward to increasing the current Dh200 fine for using mobile phones while driving because this fine does not provide enough deterrent to drivers,” he said.

He noted that motorists can use mobile phones while stopping at red lights but added they must end it once the signal turns green.

Failure to register rent contract with Ejari result in fines for tenants from 2012

Registration of rental contracts with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) will soon become a pre-requisite to accessing other government services, according to a top property regulator.

The Land Department and its regulatory body — the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera) — has been trying to implement the system through a registration portal — Ejari.com.

The move will help the government to monitor the property market and offer better insights through its rental index while ensuring all tenants pay their housing fees regularly. Currently, these contracts are processed by the landlords. The rental data fed into the system is used to calculate the housing fees that are included on utility bills.

Registration of residential and commercial lease contracts through Ejari is mandatory and failure to comply may lead to a penalty, Gulf News has learnt. A Dh160 fee is chargeable to register a lease agreement with Ejari. The fee is payable by either party to the agreement.

The Ejari registration will be mandatory to obtain utility services. If the contract is not registered, transactions could be delayed at several government departments, principally the Dubai Economic Department and the Residence and Foreign Affairs Department.

Trends indicated by the Ejari data will be reflected in the rental index and will have a crucial role in updating it. Information about rental levels in specific areas, the demographic base and the kinds of property formats in favour can also be found.

"The decision is effective on every new contract to be signed in 2012; however, Rera is prepared to allow individual tenants with existing contracts to wait until these are due for renewal before seeking registration," Bin Ghulaita added.

"This regulation was announced a year ago and notices were sent out to parties concerned that the new rule would be effective by 2012. The Department will not accept any contract unless it is registered with Ejari."

According to the Rera, the rule applies to landlords and tenants in Dubai, real estate companies entrusted with the management of realty projects on behalf of others, as well as official agents of owners of commercial complexes and shopping centres.

Seatbelts mandatory for rear seat passengers in Dubai

The General Department of Traffic of Dubai Police has prepared a new Bill which, once approved, will make it mandatory for rear passengers in vehicles to wear seat belts, according to Arabic dailies this morning.

The proposal says it will be the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers in a vehicle are buckled up, and in the event of failing to do so, the driver may be fined.

Lt. General Engineer Mohammed Saif Al Zaffin said the proposal was made based on accidents in which rear passengers could have avoided injuries or even deaths had they been wearing seatbelts.

He added that the Police found that the risk for children sitting in the back seat doubled because they rarely buckle up, with their parents believing that sitting in the rear would automatically protect them in case of an accident.

He stressed that the draft law imposed on the driver to oblige the passengers sitting in the back seat to harness seat belts, and in case of a failure to do so, he will be subject to violation.