# fingerprints



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

Hello!

I am going to move in the Middle East for a new job. I do not know exactly if UAE, Qatar or Oman.

I know that I shall provide my fingerprints to get the Residence Visa.
Does anybody know if my employer, the PRO or anybody different from the police or other government departments may require and have a copy of my fingerprints (that I will provide for the Visa)?

Thanks!


----------



## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

It's not for your visa, the prints are required for your Emirates ID card. I have no idea whether or not the information is shared.


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

BedouGirl said:


> It's not for your visa, the prints are required for your Emirates ID card. I have no idea whether or not the information is shared.


Thanks for your prompr reply.
Any idea about a UAE department that I can contact and ask clarifications about my doubt?


----------



## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

MRuota said:


> Thanks for your prompr reply. Any idea about a UAE department that I can contact and ask clarifications about my doubt?


I guess it would be http://www.id.gov.ae/en/home.aspx


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

MRuota said:


> Thanks for your prompr reply.
> Any idea about a UAE department that I can contact and ask clarifications about my doubt?


What exactly is your concern?
Your fingerprints will be required once you get here. You will have to supply your fingers attached to your wrist, forearm, and torso.

Before you get here, all they need is your documents which depending on the nature of your employment may need to be attested in the issuing country.


----------



## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Indeed. Its not optional and you have to either do it or leave the country. I doubt they will talk to you about their policies. They wil listen, ignore you and say to comply or leave.

You may be fingerprinted on arrival as well. ~Just remember this is not Europe and your concerns, while perhaps being real, are of no relevance to the locals.

Their place, their rules.

PS If you have a record with the UAE or Oman or wherever, they will check you on arrival based upon your name and probably check fingerprints if they have concern. If you left debt behind, I'd suggest you stay clear forever more as you will end up in jail for a period of time.


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

arabianhorse said:


> What exactly is your concern?
> Your fingerprints will be required once you get here. You will have to supply your fingers attached to your wrist, forearm, and torso.


I just would like to be sure that, once I have provided my fingerprints for the ID card, only the government departments or the national/international polices can have access to them,
It would not be nice for me that my employer or the PRO can get a copy of my fingerprints.

Do you know if someone's fingerprints may be shared with his employer (without the employee permit)?


----------



## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

MRuota said:


> It would not be nice for me that my employer or the PRO can get a copy of my fingerprints.


Agreed, but this isn't Italy or the EU here. If your employer has a need and I can only thnk of a few, then hey will get. Most don't need them so I doubt they will even ask for them.

UAE laws trumps everything here, including individuals 'concerns'.


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

Employers have no need for your fingerprints, and I doubt that even here, the authorities would supply your prints to your employers.

Problem is, nothing here is transparent, we know what we know we also dont know what we don't know


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

I see...

They use a fingerprint reader to track the employees entry and exit times.
I told them that I would prefer to use a badge, so I do not have to provide even a fingerprint to them.
But if my employer can have a copy of all my fingerprints from the UAE department to which I give them, it is useless to avoid providing one of my fingerprint directly to my employer!


----------



## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Badges can be faked and others can use them and log in / log out for you.

Sounds like others have done that previously so fingerprints are necessary.

It'll be a take it or leave it situation I think.


----------



## killerA (Feb 10, 2014)

MRuota said:


> I see...
> 
> They use a fingerprint reader to track the employees entry and exit times.
> I told them that I would prefer to use a badge, so I do not have to provide even a fingerprint to them.
> But if my employer can have a copy of all my fingerprints from the UAE department to which I give them, it is useless to avoid providing one of my fingerprint directly to my employer!


Being difficult isn't going to get you anywhere. So they should create a new system for you to clock and out like your special?


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

It seems there is an alternative to the fingerprint reader (also because you may have your fingertip damaged).

Anyway, the point is not about my employer availability to satisfy my request, but about the fact that he can or cannot be allowed to have access to my fingerprints record (produced because of my application for the Residence Visa and the ID Card)!


----------



## killerA (Feb 10, 2014)

MRuota said:


> It seems there is an alternative to the fingerprint reader (also because you may have your fingertip damaged).
> 
> Anyway, the point is not about my employer availability to satisfy my request, but about the fact that he can or cannot be allowed to have access to my fingerprints record (produced because of my application for the Residence Visa and the ID Card)!


Please explain how one damages a fingerprint?


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

killerA said:


> Please explain how one damages a fingerprint?


I was referring to temporary damages, like burns, cuts, scartches and so on.


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

MRuota said:


> I was referring to temporary damages, like burns, cuts, scartches and so on.


Good luck with your employer.
Let us know how it turns out.


----------



## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

MRuota said:


> ?......but about the fact that he can or cannot be allowed to have access to my fingerprints record (produced because of my application for the Residence Visa and the ID Card)!


What makes you believe the employer "cannot be allowed .........." ?

Sorry to reiterate the point, but this isn't Europe here and laws of your home country don't apply.

There are lots of places in the UAE where biometric scanners are used for access control. You may have to just live with the fact that the rules you are used to don't apply here.


----------



## killerA (Feb 10, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> What makes you believe the employer "cannot be allowed .........." ?
> 
> Sorry to reiterate the point, but this isn't Europe here and laws of your home country don't apply.
> 
> There are lots of places in the UAE where biometric scanners are used for access control. You may have to just live with the fact that the rules you are used to don't apply here.


Maybe this guy has nasty pics in his iPhone 5s with fingerprint scanner that he thinks his employer wants to see lol.


----------



## LesFroggitts (Dec 30, 2013)

My place uses a fingerprint scanner to log the employees into and out of work - however if you don't scan your authorised finger (only ONE is taken) then the front door of the office simply does not open and allow access.

Can't see a major problem with this. If you 'damage' your fingerprint then it would be quite easily remedied with a visit to the HR people to either update your registered scan image or select a different finger.

They are though notoriously inefficient at reading the scan, you have to make sure the pressure and placement of the finger is close enough to the original scan to get authorised. Can be quite funny when your colleague fails multiple times and yours' goes through first time.


----------



## nerd_deluxe (Nov 19, 2013)

arabianhorse said:


> Good luck with your employer.
> Let us know how it turns out.


This. Am I missing something? Why the big deal about fingerprints? For half my jobs in the US, I'm giving fingerprints because of the nature of my employers work - finance mostly. Although with the NSA running amok it's likely redundant.

I mean, if fingerprints are causing this kind of distraction - what about the rest? ID linked with mobile, the bureaucracy of everything else around here...

I'm not forseeing a "happily ever after" result...


----------



## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
To the OP - Why do you keep asking the same question in multiple places on the forum?
The members on the Dubai forum have given you proper and correct answers to your question.
In the UAE, Qatar, KSA - the rules are totally different to Europe.
Your data is freely shared between government departments. Banks share sensitive data with their employees (you know this when they phone you with credit card offers - the sales person has all your data!).
If you decide to live and work in this region then you need to accept that many of the laws and liberties that you enjoy in Europe do not apply here.
If you are lucky - then the big increase in salary compared with your same job in Europe, should be the compensation that makes up for your loss of liberties.
If you dont like or accept these facts - then you will need to look elsewhere to work (as you will soon get in trouble here - if you start making a noise about the use of your personal data.)
Cheers
Steve


----------



## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

He must be Bruce Wayne type person scared that Bane will come get him and use his prints.


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

nerd_deluxe said:


> This. Am I missing something? Why the big deal about fingerprints? For half my jobs in the US, I'm giving fingerprints because of the nature of my employers work - finance mostly. Although with the NSA running amok it's likely redundant.
> 
> I mean, if fingerprints are causing this kind of distraction - what about the rest? ID linked with mobile, the bureaucracy of everything else around here...
> 
> I'm not forseeing a "happily ever after" result...


Agree - I was being facetious.

He's either an old woman or a troll


----------



## MRuota (Apr 8, 2014)

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> To the OP - Why do you keep asking the same question in multiple places on the forum?
> The members on the Dubai forum have given you proper and correct answers to your question.
> In the UAE, Qatar, KSA - the rules are totally different to Europe.
> ...



I just thought that different users may visit the Qatar forum and provide me more information.

I know that the laws are different, this is the reason why I am trying to find out which are the rules concerning the disclosure of fingerprints.

I understand that most of the people that replied to my questions are not worried at all about their personal data. I just hope you do not mind if I kindly ask a question and then wait for an answer.
No problem if someone wants to kid me because of the question I asked.
I am not pretending to change a law/rule or to convince anyone that a certain law/rule should be changed. I am just asking which is the law/rule applicable at the moment.

Thanks.


----------



## LesFroggitts (Dec 30, 2013)

If you're worried about identity theft or more likely identity tracking, then you'll probably not be pleased to hear that you even have to identify yourself (and often deposit your identity card with reception) when visiting commercial and residential buildings here in the Emirates (and the wider GCC as well).


----------



## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

LesFroggitts said:


> If you're worried about identity theft or more likely identity tracking, then you'll probably not be pleased to hear that you even have to identify yourself (and often deposit your identity card with reception) when visiting commercial and residential buildings here in the Emirates (and the wider GCC as well).


Really??

I have never done this at all and I have visited many commercial and residential buildings.


----------



## LesFroggitts (Dec 30, 2013)

londonmandan said:


> Really??
> 
> I have never done this at all and I have visited many commercial and residential buildings.


Yes, definitely happens, maybe the places I was going to were more secure. One example was in JLT, there was a reception and turnstiles to get through in order to reach the elevators. At the time I had not yet received my EID so they thought that it would be nice for them to hold my passport :lol: fortunately I was visiting a company with one of our local staff - when I refused to deposit my passport with them I think I immediately reached the 'end' of their training. My colleague though did deposit her ID.


----------



## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

LesFroggitts said:


> Yes, definitely happens, maybe the places I was going to were more secure. One example was in JLT, there was a reception and turnstiles to get through in order to reach the elevators. At the time I had not yet received my EID so they thought that it would be nice for them to hold my passport :lol: fortunately I was visiting a company with one of our local staff - when I refused to deposit my passport with them I think I immediately reached the 'end' of their training. My colleague though did deposit her ID.


Where in JLT as I wanna try :lol:


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

When visiting anyone in a government building in AD, you need to provide your Emirates ID. The security guy keeps your ID and issues you a visitors pass.
You get your ID back when you return the pass


----------

