DUBAI // Residents are being invited to apply for the new identity card in post offices across the UAE. Some 500,000 Emiratis and expatriate professionals have until Dec 31 to obtain a national ID card or lose access to health care and other government-related services, the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) said yesterday. Emirates Post said applicants could receive help with registration forms by filling them in and handing them to a post office, where the forms will be checked. Envelopes for the forms cost Dh40 (US$11). Applicants who make mistakes will be informed by text message and the forms can then be corrected over the telephone if possible. Those applicants who complete the form correctly will be sent an appointment time telling them when they can attend the EIDA centre to complete the process. Anyone enlisting the help of Emirates Post in their application could win one of three laptops, the company said. Darwish al Zarouni, the chief executive officer EIDA, said the authority was pleased to enter into the partnership with Emirates Post. The card will contain face and fingerprint scans, passport and driving licence details, address, residency status and qualifications. Registering costs Dh100 for adults and Dh50 for children. Emiratis will face a fine of Dh1,000 if they miss the deadline. eharnan@thenational.ae
