It is common knowledge that in order to live in the UAE, you must obtain the necessary documentation. The UAE Residence Visa and the Emirates ID are two of the most important. The UAE recently announced that there will be some changes to the stamps and stickers of these documents on expatriates’ passports.
In this article, you will learn everything about the Emirates ID. Furthermore, you will get a better understanding of when this will be applicable. Let us observe:
1. What exactly is the Emirates ID?
2. What exactly is the UAE Residency Visa?
3. Changes that have been made to the UAE visa stamps on passports.
4. When will the residency visa replacement be applicable?
5. What do we know so far about passports without UAE visa stamps?
6. Why will the Emirates ID be used in place of the UAE residency visa on passports?
7. How can Connect Group help you?
1. What exactly is the Emirates ID?
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship is in charge of issuing Emirates IDs to expatriates who go through the immigration process. This is to obtain residency in the UAE. Furthermore, UAE citizens and residents must have a valid Emirates ID and carry it with them at all times.
As we can see, it is the official document for identification, so anyone wishing to reside in the UAE or set up certain types of businesses within the nation, must obtain one. You can use this card for a variety of purposes, including the following:
- Acquire government services.
- Voting in elections.
- Travel document for use within the GCC.
- Immigration document in UAE airports.
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1.1. Emirates ID features
The Emirates ID is an important document. Hence, it has incredible features that make it more secure and useful for a variety of purposes. It is a smart card because it contains a piece of public key infrastructure as well as a biometric fingerprint.
The cardholder has an identification number that is unique to each holder in perpetuity. As a result, it has a unique and unrepeatable number. Furthermore, it contains personal data that machines can read.
Hence, it counts on cutting-edge technology. Thus, it is not surprising that the UAE Authority wants to use it for immigration purposes as well. It can be very useful to check and review the cardholder’s personal information and immigration status thanks to its amazing technology.
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1.2. How can you obtain an Emirates ID?
Obtaining an Emirates ID is a fairly simple process. Simply go to one of the typing centers and fill out the e-Form. You can also go to the official website and submit it there.
Following that, you must proceed to the indicated registration center and complete the process. The best part is that if you need this card in less than 24 hours, you can use Fawri and pay the urgent service fee. This option, however, is only available to UAE and GCC nationals.
2. What exactly is the UAE Residency Visa?
Expats who want to visit the UAE must go through a process to obtain residency. This is because if you want to stay in the country; whether to start a business or work as an employee, you must follow some legal requirements.
When a foreigner enters the country, the process of obtaining documentation begins. If you intend to stay in the country, you must obtain residency. No matter if you enter with a visit visa or an entry permit. Hence, applicants must demonstrate medical fitness, apply for an Emirates ID, and pass a security check, according to the UAE Government website.
When they complete the procedure, they will receive a stamp or sticker on their passport that will serve as their Residency Visa. Depending on the type of visa, the foreigner may be granted a residency stamp that is valid for two, three, five, or even ten years. He or she must renew his or her residency near the end of its term.
2.1. What will happen to existing residency stamps?
Because you will no longer need the UAE Residency stickers, it is natural to wonder if they will still be available. To ease the transition between the use of residency stamps and the Emirates ID, the UAE Authority has decided to keep these stamps available only on the authority’s application.
It is important to note that this does not change the fact that any expatriate who wishes to work in the UAE, must obtain a residency visa. No matter if they want to make an investment, buy a property, attend university, or engage in any other activity.
The only thing that this new regulation alters is the requirement to obtain a residency stamp on one’s passport. The expatriates will have to continue their immigration procedure but with one step less: the residency stamp on their passport.
3. Changes that have been made to the UAE visa stamps on passports
On Tuesday, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security announced the decision to replace the UAE Residency visa on passports with the Emirates ID.
According to this official source, the UAE Cabinet made the decision. It was distributed in the form of a circular to departments and airlines to make them aware of the new regulation.
As a result of this change, expatriates must now prove their residency status using their passport number and Emirates ID. It is no longer necessary to have the UAE Residency Visa stamped.
Nonetheless, it is critical to understand when this will become effective. This is since many foreigners who are currently undergoing the immigration process want to know if they will have to wait.
3.1 What are the potential benefits of this change?
Expatriates and UAE nationals can both benefit from the changes brought about by this new regulation. Expats will find it easier to renew their documents because they will not have to complete an additional step.
This is due to the fact that to renew your immigration documents, you only need to renew your Emirates ID. Furthermore, because this new card uses more advanced technology, you will only need to renew the Emirates ID every ten years.
Another piece of good news is that residents can travel outside the country whenever they want and use their passport number and Emirates ID to prove their residency status at the airport. Airlines have a passport reader, so the process will be streamlined.
4. When will the residency visa replacement be applicable?
This replacement, according to the UAE Authority, will take effect on April 11, 2022. Nonetheless, because this is new information, it is necessary to wait until more information is available about how effective this replacement will be.
5. What do we know so far about passports without UAE visa stamps?
According to the UAE Government, people can now use the Emirates ID as a residency document in the UAE. Furthermore, people who are in the process of applying for residency will not receive the stamp on their passports until next week.
One of the benefits of this new regulation is that it significantly reduces the steps in the residency renovation process. This means that the residence visa and the Emirates ID can both be renewed using the same application. Previously, people had to go through two separate processes to renew them and request them for the first time.
The Emirates ID, according to the circular, contains all of the necessary information regarding the cardholder’s residency. As a result, when they arrive at the airport, the airline can verify all of the information on the residency visa sticker.
6. Why will the Emirates ID be used in place of the UAE residency visa on passports?
Many non-residents in the UAE are perplexed as to why this new regulation has been implemented. It is well known that to live in the UAE, you must have a valid visa; as this is a requirement set by the Authority.
Hence, people choose the visa scheme that best suits their current situation in this regard. Business owners, for example, choose the investor visa, other investors decide to choose the golden visa; job seekers may opt for the Dubai Work Remote Visa, and so on. They all must go through the immigration process to be granted residency.
Hence, to proceed with the process, they must first obtain an entry permit and travel to the UAE. When they arrive in the country, they must complete a variety of tasks, including medical examinations and other requirements. Obtaining the residency visa stamp on the passport is one of the final steps in the process. They also apply for the Emirates ID.
However, under this new rule, foreigners will no longer need to have a residency stamp on their passports because their Emirates ID will suffice to verify their immigration status. This new law is the result of the new generation of Emirates ID cards, which were introduced in August. The UAE government intends to use this new document to simplify the process of determining a foreigner’s immigration status.
6.1 What exactly is the new Emirates ID?
The new Emirates ID has more features, making it an excellent tool for regulating immigration and foreigner documentation. The following are some of the incredible characteristics:
- Non-visible data.
- Service life increased to more than ten years.
- laser-printed 3D image of the cardholder displaying the date of birth.
As we can see, the new Emirates ID was created using technology to modernize previous identification cards. These types of new documents are expected to appear in the UAE, which is known for encouraging technological innovation.
It is an ongoing project that the UAE Authority intends to implement in the coming months. When it comes to immigration procedures and legislation, it is best to stay up to date on the latest developments.
As a result, if you do not have time to keep up with the constant changes to current legislation, you can always look for an ally in this matter.
7. How can Connect Group help you?
We at Connect Group want to provide you with the best assistance possible. You can plan your expansion to the UAE with confidence because we will obtain the necessary visas for your employees.
As you can see, the UAE law governing immigration procedures is constantly changing. As a result, you will require the assistance of a team of experts. Our specialists are always up to date on the most recent regulatory changes, such as the replacement of the residency visa with the Emirates ID.
Would you like to contact us to obtain more information regarding this matter? If you have any questions, call us at +971 43 316 688. You can also email us at contact@connectgroup.co. After that, you will talk to one of our representatives who will answer your questions.
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