Emirates ID card final warning message sent to bosses

Thousands of Dubai residents who have yet to apply for their National ID cards have begun receiving final warnings by text message to their bosses.

More than 23,700 texts have been sent to private companies in the emirate, urging them to remind any members of staff who have not applied that the June 1 deadline is fast approaching.

The messages were sent in Arabic and English.

"These text messages are part of an ongoing media campaign to remind residents of Dubai that they must hurry to get themselves registered within the specified deadline," said Aysha Al Raisi, the deputy head of public relations and marketing at the Emirates Identity Authority (Eida).

Residents face fines of Dh20 for each day they do not have their Emirates ID card. They will be fined up to Dh1,000 for a late application and also fined if they fail to renew their ID more than 30 days after it expires.

"Just filling out the form [by the deadline] saves you from the fine," said Dr Ali Al Khouri, the director general of the authority.

There has been a surge in the number of people applying as the deadline approaches, he said, leading the authority to believe they will reach their target of between 90 and 95 per cent before the year is out.

So far, 7 million people across the UAE have registered for the ID cards.