There's a checklist of documents you need to live in the UAE, including your residence visa and Resident ID, which need to be renewed regularly for as long as you live here.
The Resident Identity Card is becoming more important in the UAE. You'll need it as an official form of identification in many situations, such as registering for a school place and buying a vehicle.
If not done already, you'll need to register with the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) for a Resident ID Card before applying for your residence visa and taking the medical test. You'll then need to renew the card when your residence visa expires. If you fail to sign up you’ll face daily fines of Dhs.20, up to a total of Dhs.1,000.
Each card contains the holder’s address, photo, date of birth and fingerprints, and is now an official source of identification in the UAE. It will eventually replace all other cards, such as health cards and labour cards, and can already be used at the e-Gate service at Dubai International Airport if the user pays the Dhs.150 activation fee (renewable every two years for Dhs.150). Great for frequent flyers!
You can apply online at id.gov.ae and pay by credit card for first-time registration, renewals and replacement ID cards. This not only speeds up the process, it saves the need to visit a typing centre. If applying for a new card, you’ll then be able to reserve an appointment to visit a Resident ID registration centre where your fingerprints and a photograph will be taken.
UAE nationals must pay Dhs.100 for their ID cards; expat residents pay Dhs.100 per year of validity on their residence visa (two years on the visa equals Dhs.200), plus a small delivery fee. Children under the age of 15 also need one, but the fee is halved.
Apply online at id.gov.ae and pay by credit card for first-time registration, renewals and replacement ID cards.