Government departments will be required by law to offer online services in multiple languages and at no extra cost to the customer.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced the decision on Monday.
The move — which officials have one year to implement — “seeks to accelerate the emirate’s digital transformation”, Dubai Government Media Office said in a statement.
“Government entities and judicial authorities, including Dubai Courts and Dubai Public Prosecution, as well as non-government entities in Dubai, are required to provide digital services to their customers,” it said.
“The chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai will issue a decision on the various stages of implementing the Law, in line with the recommendations of the Digital Dubai Authority.
“Digital services provided in Dubai must be user-friendly and accessible to People of Determination without an extra fee.”
By law, customers will be legally required to update information to digital service providers when asked to do so, it said. No further detail was given on those potential requirements.
Officials can outsource their digital services to a public or private sector company, with approval from the Department of Finance, it said.
Departments that once required people to visit government offices to pay bills or fees, to get tenancy contracts approved and stamped, and to pay traffic fines, have largely moved such services online.
Utilities and internet payments are all now paid for on app-based portals. Securing a residency visa or driving licence is now typically completed with a single in-person visit. Officials have recently cut red tape and fees to make it faster and cheaper to set up a business.
In Dubai, most services are offered in Arabic and English, but the provision of other languages can vary significantly between authorities.
