ID cards to be linked to visas in three more Preventive Medicine Centres

The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA), the independent federal authority mandated with implementing the Population Register and the ID card programme, will link ID card registration with the issuance and renewal of residence visas in three Preventive Medicine Centres (PMCs) in Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, and Khorfakkan this month.

EIDA will open registration centres attached to the preventive health examination centre in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Medical City on September 18, and another one attached to the PMC in Khorfakkan on September 24, and registration centre attached to the preventive health examination centre for foreign workers in Al–Ain at the end of September.

The announcement came during a meeting held at the EIDA head office in Abu Dhabi yesterday to review progress on linking ID card registration and preventive medical examination procedures. EIDA intends to complete the electronic linkage of ID card registration and residency procedures by the end of 2011.

His Excellency Dr Engineer Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director General of EIDA, who chaired the meeting, called for stronger co-ordination with all stakeholders concerned to achieve full implementation of the electronic linkage between ID card registration and residency as directed by the Board of Directors of the Authority.

His Excellency praised the role of EIDA’s strategic partners in the project, including the Ministry of Health, Health Authority – Abu Dhabi and SEHA, medical fitness centres affiliated to Dubai Health Authority, PMCs and health check-up facilities for labourers in Sharjah, and other bodies related to preventive medicine procedures in the UAE.

With the opening of the three new centres 18 out of the total 25 ID card registration centres in the UAE will be linked to preventive medicine departments. EIDA signed an agreement with the Electronic Management for Identity and Security Solutions Co. (EMISS) to build the centres as part of developing the Population Register Infrastructure and to complete linking ID card registration to visa processing by the end of 2011. The linkage is part of the second phase of EIDA’s new registration strategy.

The electronic linkage between ID card registration and visa procedures will have a positive impact on the Population Register as the total daily registration at all EIDA centres is expected to cross 22,000 or in other words, about half a million per month.

Applicants must fill in the ID registration form from any of the accredited typing centres in the UAE, visit the Preventive Medicine Centre for medical examination, and then continue the ID registration procedures. The customer will then get a registration receipt stamped by EIDA, which is a pre-requisite for residency departments to accept the medical fitness certificate.

Mohammed Abdulla Al-Harthy, Executive Director of EIDA Registration Centers; Ismail FadlAllah, Director for Dubai and North Emirates; Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director for the Western Region, Project Manager of EMISS and members of EIDA’s strategic support team attended the meeting.