In the near future, your Emirates ID will serve as proof of residency in the UAE. With the increase in services available to residents, residence visas will no longer be stamped on passports starting from Monday, April 11.
As a result, residency documents are now issued or renewed more quickly. It will allow you to renew both a residence visa and an Emirates ID in one application, rather than two separate processes as it currently is. The details are below.
What's new?
According to the current procedure, the final stage of the visa application process is the stamping of the visa. The applicant leaves his/her passport at the immigration office for the pink sticker to be applied after all required documents are typed out.
Passports won't be stamped with visas starting on Monday, April 11. Emirates IDs will be accepted as proof of residency.
What information is on the Emirates ID?
A Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security circular states that the ID contains all relevant information regarding residency.
UAE ID cards issued to expats include all the information found on the residence visa sticker.
About Residence visa sticker
An expat can only obtain a residence permit if he/she has already entered the UAE with an entry permit or a visit visa.
Applicants who are 18 and older must undergo a medical test to prove their medical fitness before applying for a residence visa. According to the UAE Government website, the applicants must also pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID card from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.
After this process is completed, the applicant's passport is stamped with the residence visa sticker.
Do the residency stickers continue to be issued?
The stamps will be available only through the authority's smart application, said Major-General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, acting director-general for Foreigners Affairs and Ports. As a result, this will facilitate the transition from residency stamps to Emirates IDs.
How will airlines or immigration officials verify a resident's residency when they travel outside the country?
A resident's Emirates ID and passport number will be able to be used for this purpose, according to the circular. This is achieved by means of a passport reader. To inform the stakeholders of the change, a circular will be distributed.
Does anyone need residency documents?
Investors, property owners, students, retirees, dependents (family members of valid visa holders), expats who have been offered jobs.
Also Read: How To Apply For An Emirates ID: All You Need To Know About Emirates ID 2022
How To Download Digital Emirates ID And Residency Through ICA UAE App: UAE Pass