Emirates ID: Application, Validity and Renewal
Anyone who lives, works or invests in the United Arab Emirates cannot avoid one document: the Emirates ID. It is the national identity card and at the same time the key to practically every process in the country – from a bank account to a tenancy agreement.
What the Emirates ID is
It is issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, ICP for short. The card bears a 15-digit identification number that remains permanently assigned to the holder.
It stores your name, nationality, a biometric photo as well as fingerprints and a facial scan. These are captured at a service centre of the authority when you first apply.
In all seven emirates, the card is the primary proof of identity. You should carry it with you in everyday life or at least have it quickly to hand.
What you need the card for
Without a valid Emirates ID, key areas of life are practically closed to you. It is linked to your residence permit – so without a valid visa, there is no valid card.
- Authorities: visa renewal, vehicle registration, driving licence, municipal registrations
- Banks: account opening, credit card, every identity check as part of anti-money laundering procedures
- Housing: tenancy agreement, Ejari registration, connecting electricity and water
- Education and health: school enrolment, registration at clinics, use of health insurance
- Travel: use of the e-gates at UAE airports
- Digital services: registration with and linking to UAE PASS
A practical example: someone who has just moved can only enrol their child at a school once the Emirates ID is available. And the card is only issued once the residence procedure has been completed: since 2022, the residence visa and the Emirates ID have been processed in a single application, and the Emirates ID has replaced the former visa sticker in the passport. This chain determines the timeline of every relocation.
Who needs an Emirates ID
- UAE nationals, from birth
- All foreigners with a residence visa – regardless of whether via an employer, their own company, family or a Golden Visa
- Nationals of the GCC states resident in the UAE
- Children and newborns – here the birth certificate is submitted in addition
The application process
- Combined application: since 2022, you apply for the residence permit and the Emirates ID in one joint procedure. The prerequisite is an entry permit or a change of status inside the country; from the age of 18, the medical test is also required. There is no longer a visa sticker in the passport, and the Emirates ID serves as proof of your right of residence
- Submit the application: online via the authority's portal or app, or alternatively at an approved typing centre
- Submit documents: passport, entry permit, biometric photo to ICAO standard, and for children the birth certificate
- Pay the fee: around AED 100 per year of validity, plus the typing centre's service fee
- Biometrics appointment: fingerprints and photo at the service centre, appointment notified by SMS
- Issue: seven to ten working days after biometric capture, delivered by post or collected in person
Validity and renewal
| Group | Validity |
|---|---|
| UAE nationals | 5 or 10 years |
| GCC nationals | usually 5 years |
| Foreigners with a residence visa | term of the visa, usually 1 to 3 years |
| Golden Visa holders | in line with the visa term |
A renewal application is possible from around 30 days before expiry. After expiry, there is a grace period of 30 days. If it is exceeded, late fees of around AED 20 per day apply, capped at around AED 1,000.
The process is the same as for the first application: application online or at a typing centre, fee, biometrics again if required, seven to ten working days' processing time.
Reporting changes
Changes to your phone number, address, employer or marital status must be reported promptly – usually within one month, via UAE PASS, the authority's portal or a service centre.
This is not a formality: if the stored data are incorrect, processes at banks and authorities fail without the reason being apparent at first glance.
Loss, theft or damage
- Report immediately – online, by phone or at a service centre; in the case of theft, also file a police report
- Apply for a replacement card via the portal, app or a typing centre, with your passport and, if available, a copy of the old card
- Fee: around AED 300 plus service and delivery charges
- Express service: available at many centres for a surcharge of around AED 150, often issued within 24 hours
Only pass on copies of your Emirates ID to bodies that actually need them. The number is the central key to your digital identity in the country.
The digital card and UAE PASS
The Emirates ID is closely linked to the national digital identity UAE PASS. Holders can store the card in the app and complete many processes without the physical document.
- Registration by downloading the app and verifying with your Emirates ID or passport
- Single sign-on to a large number of government and semi-government portals
- Digital signature for applications and contracts
Our advice: activate UAE PASS immediately after receiving the card. It takes ten minutes and then noticeably speeds up every government and banking process.
How we see it
The Emirates ID is the point at which every relocation decides how quickly things move forward. It depends on the visa, and the bank account, home, school and insurance depend on it.
From our client work: the most common planning mistake is scheduling appointments on the ground before the card has arrived. If you plan the bank account opening for the same day as the biometrics appointment, you will end up postponing both. Allow seven to ten working days after capture and plan your trip accordingly.
The second point concerns renewal: it runs in the same combined application as the visa renewal, but it does not happen automatically – you have to initiate it. Set yourself a reminder 60 days before expiry – the grace period is short and the daily fines add up.
Clarify before you apply
- Has the entry permit been issued or the change of status completed, and has the medical test been done?
- Do you have a biometric photo to ICAO standard?
- For children, are the birth certificates certified and translated?
- Is there enough time between the biometrics appointment and the planned bank account opening?
- Is there a reminder for the renewal in your calendar?
As of 28 August 2026. Fees and processing times change – the information from ICP at the time of your application is authoritative.
How the Emirates ID fits into the formation and visa process is explained on our page on visas and residency in the UAE.
Firma gründen in Dubai 2026
25 Seiten zu Gründung, Buchhaltung, Steuern und Bankkonto in den VAE.
Mit dem Absenden stimmst du der Verarbeitung deiner Daten gemäß unserer Datenschutzerklärung zu. Abmeldung jederzeit möglich.
Talk to us
Get in touch to discuss your individual case. We offer detailed solutions tailored precisely to your needs.
