UAE Cabinet reshuffle- Four fresh faces, new ministry

A major Cabinet reshuffle, replacing the Energy Minister, creating Ministry of Development and International Cooperation and merging of Economy and Foreign Trade ministries, was approved by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Shaikh Khalifa wished the new ministers success in their duties, and expressed his  gratitude to them for the efforts they have exerted in the service of their nation.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,  on Tuesday  announced the Cabinet reshuffle, the second to the seventh Cabinet formed in 2006.

Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who has been Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research for more than 20 years, has been named Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development in the Cabinet reshuffle. The new Cabinet members  include, Suhail Bin Mohammad Al Mazroui, who will head the Ministry of Energy, replacing Mohammad Al  Hameli, who has left the Cabinet.

Among the new faces are Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, the CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Masdar, who becomes Minister of State, and Abdullah Bin Mohammad Gobash, who also becomes Minister of State.

Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Nuaimi, another new minister, has been appointed Minister of Public Works. He replaces Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who  was appointed Minister of Higher Education and  Scientific Research.

Former Minister of Foreign Trade Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi has been appointed Minister of Development and International Cooperation, a newly created portfolio.

Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais, former Acting Minister of Health, and Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, is now Minister of Health.

   
The new cabinet is as follows:

    Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior
    Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs
    Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum: Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance
    Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Minister of Foreign Affairs
    Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan: Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development
    Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
    Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi: Minister of Development and International Cooperation
    Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi: Minister of Cabinet Affairs
    Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri: Minister of Economy
    Mariam Al Roumi: Minister of Social Affairs
    Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami: Minister of Education
    Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais: Minister of Health
    Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash: Minister of Labour
    Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs
    Dr Hadef Jua’an Al Daheri: Minister of Justice
    Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd: Minister of Environment and Water
    Suhail Mohammad Al Mazroui: Minister of Energy
    Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi: Minister of Public Works
    Obaid Humaid Al Tayer: Minister of State for Financial Affairs
    Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi: Minister of State
    Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi: Minister of State
    Sultan Mohammad Al Jaber: Minister of State
    Abdullah Mohammad Saeed Gobash: Minister of State
    Dr Mohammad Bin Dha'en Al Hameli, previously the Minister of Energy, was the only person to leave the Cabinet.

Emirates ID Card Status Can Be Viewed Online

EIDA has enabled a new service called Emirates ID status to view the ID card application status. The service allows applicants to track down the progress of their submitted Renewal, Replacement or New Emirates ID Card Application.

Emirates ID is the new national identity card introduced by Federal Council of United Arab Emirates in an effort to register the personal data of the whole population in the country and storing the same at the electronic data bases in coordination with the competent authorities.

You can Emirates ID status for new applications, renewal and replacement applications. To check the status of your ID Card Application, you have to enter your Application Number (PRAN) for new Emirates ID or you can enter your old Emirates ID Number if your application is for Renewal / Replacement.

On submitting the PRAN or ID number the following information will be displayed where you can know the present status of your ID application.
Applicant Information
English Name:
   
hamza
Arabic Name:
   
حمزه
Application No (PRAN):
   
21 digit application number
Application Type:
   
ID Card Renewal / Reissuance of New Card - Resident (Card Available) - > 15 years old
Reciept Number:
   
Transaction Number:
   
Emirates ID Number:
   
15 digit ID number
Mobile Number:
   
Current Status:
   
Application Created At Typing Center
Application History Log
01-Feb-2012 - Application Created At Typing Center

To view the ID status click here: http://www.eida.gov.ae/en/eida-services/id-card-status.aspx

Re-Entry Permit for Residence Visa holder of Dubai Staying 180 days outside UAE

A RESIDENT VISA HOLDER STAYING OUTSIDE U.A.E. FOR MORE THAN 180 DAYS has to obtain a Re Entry Residence Permit in Dubai.

As per the new immigration law a resident visa holder staying outside the U.A.E. for more than 180 days has to complete some procedures before re-entering into Dubai.

He/she can staying outside U.A.E. for more than 180 days is considered on some conditions and the procedure has to be completed by the sponsor for re-entering of sponsored person into Dubai.

In case the holder of Dubai resident visa stayed outside UAE for more than 180 days his visa will be blocked. Some persons are exempted from visa block. The details of exemption are given in the re-entry exempted list.

For example, If the exit from U.A.E. was on 03-Jul-2011 and intend to come back on 28-Feb-2012 (6 months + extra 2 months) sponsor has to complete the below mentioned procedures for unblocking the residence visa.

The sponsor has to obtain the following documents and attend at GDRFA to apply for a re-entry permit since he is the sponsor & the sponsored person exceeded 180 days outside UAE:

 Application form from typing center.
 A certificate for the case reason attested from UAE Embassy + Ministry of Foreign Affairs "within the same country" + Ministry of Foreign Affairs inside UAE approves the reason of staying that whole period outside UAE.
    The person passport copy along with the sponsor passport copy.
    AED 130 fees for that service.
    AED 100 for each month exceeding the 180 days.
Note:

    The sponsored UAE Residence Visa should be valid.
    The matter is subject to approval from GDRFA.

You may contact General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs-Dubai for more information.

Toll-free    : 8005111
Tel (Int.)    :+971 4 313 9999
Fax          :+971 4 501 1111
Email       : Amer@dnrd.ae
Website   :www.amer.ae

Dubai Visa Status and Information about DNRD Applications

The website of General Directorate of Residency – Dubai has the facility to check the Dubai visa status and information about DNRD applications. The GDRFA site provides a Query DNRD App page to check about the visa status and other immigration applications. The status of following immigration forms applied in DNRD can be checked through the Dubai immigration portal by entering the basic application information like smart form number or application number.

    Entry permit validity
    UAE Residence validity
    eDNRD Application
    eFORM Application

    Residence Application Status – This will show the status of passport that has been submitted to DNRD for visa stamping as whether it is processed or not.

Dubai immigration also started a smart mobile application from their website for checking the status and validity of visit visas and other immigration transactions. The new mobile service from General Department of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai will enable the public to check about the status of Dubai visas and other immigration transactions.

DNRD eServices is a fully integrated online system designed for minimizing the time required on managing your application and other transactions with DNRD. Residents don't need to register to use the online visa status enquiry services.
Click here to view the Visa Status

Employers to bear the cost of Emirates ID card: Eida Chief

Although there is no legal directive that compels companies to bear the cost of Emirates ID, Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) chief says companies should take up the responsibility of paying the cost of ID cards for their employees.

“There is no legal directive on who should pay the fees for the ID cards. Since now the visa issuance is linked to the Emirates ID process, we expect companies to bear the cost. We are taking up the matter with higher authorities and are reviewing the matter,” Dr Ali Al KhouriDirector General, EidaHe added that a few public sector entities and private companies had already begun bearing the cost of the issuing Emirates ID for their employees.

“There are companies in both public and private sector that are now paying for the ID for their employees. We believe companies have to bear the cost of the ID as the card issuance is linked to visa.”

Employees in the public sector pay Dh300 (Dh100 per year for three year visa) for the card, while private sector employees pay Dh200 (Dh100 per year for two year visa) . The other charges (typing and admin) total to Dh70.