# Emirates ID - how do I hate thee...let me count the ways



## md000 (Dec 16, 2008)

So, I finally get my resident visa (after 45 days of being in-process) and like a good expat, I am attempting to get my Emirates ID. 

Online. No reservations available. I even checked Ajman (swing by for a drink?) - no appointments. Booked full everywhere. No indication of what to do on the web site. so...I called:

Phone. "There are no bookings available". I ask, politely, what am I supposed to do? "There are no bookings available." I thought I hit a really good phone recording, but after another question - how am I supposed to accomplish this? She responds - "we have bookings in Fujairah and RAK in late Feb.". Well, that's a bit out there. "What about Sharjah or Ajman - I mean - I just got my residency visa and I want to get this over with?" She then proceeds to give me the riot act about not doing this before (even after I told her that I just received my visa). *shakes head* customer service is lacking. She then tells me, just to go and wait in line.

I thought - might as well ask you all - what's the deal? Should I just go and wait in line? What have your experiences been thus far? Did you have appointments?


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

md000 said:


> I thought - might as well ask you all - what's the deal? Should I just go and wait in line? What have your experiences been thus far? Did you have appointments?


I wouldn't even worry. I am sure the deadline has been put back 12months for Expats...

Keeping the identity queue moving - The National Newspaper



> Expatriate professionals, including anyone with a degree, have been given until the end of February to sign up, after which priority will be given to other categories of resident workers. Expatriates will be fined *only* if they do not obtain cards by 2010.


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## md000 (Dec 16, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> I wouldn't even worry. I am sure the deadline has been put back 12months for Expats...
> 
> Keeping the identity queue moving - The National Newspaper


But I plan on being here past 2010.  I want to try and follow the rules...or should I just give up and go with the flow and wait until they cancel the entire thing for expats? 

FYI - I read in gulf news about failed iris scans - the head of the dubai immigration group mentioned that they will start requiring DNA tests for every entry. 

"Brigadier Obaid Bin Surour, Deputy Director of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) said the DNRD staff and officials at the airport were able to seize 1,088 forged passports last year.

Brigadier Bin Surour said border security is one of the biggest challenges all countries face in maintaining national security. "We will soon use an individual's DNA as a means to verify people's identity at borders," he said."

Gulfnews: Dubai's iris scan helps arrest 54,000 suspects last year


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## Nickel (Dec 7, 2008)

I also got my residency visa about 2 weeks ago. Got my license converted soon after. My Emirates ID: My PRO is doing it all for me. I just filled out the paper. Could you not do it that way? (sorry if this is a dense question)


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## md000 (Dec 16, 2008)

Nickel said:


> I also got my residency visa about 2 weeks ago. Got my license converted soon after. My Emirates ID: My PRO is doing it all for me. I just filled out the paper. Could you not do it that way? (sorry if this is a dense question)


No PRO sadly. I have and will continue to do everything myself, unless another employer comes along.


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## Nickel (Dec 7, 2008)

Sorry to hear that and I hope I didn't open up a "pandora's box" of bad feelings.

Just keep plugging along - it will work out and you might get it done before the deadline!!!


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## fianna (Dec 14, 2008)

Nickel said:


> I also got my residency visa about 2 weeks ago. Got my license converted soon after. My Emirates ID: My PRO is doing it all for me. I just filled out the paper. Could you not do it that way? (sorry if this is a dense question)


What is a PRO? 

Thanks


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## gearhead (Jan 6, 2009)

Public Relations Officer i guess. In most cases he will be an Emirati national employed by companies to handle all aspects of visa / residency for its employees  



fianna said:


> What is a PRO?
> 
> Thanks


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## Nickel (Dec 7, 2008)

Gearhead is correct. Most, if not all, companies have a PRO who does all the legwork in getting visas, work permits, etc. (they know the what, when, how etc to get all the paperwork done) All I had to do was give the copies of the things they needed, maybe sign some forms. Our PRO gives me updates and sometimes can get things "pushed" along faster.

He is an enormous help!!


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

I am still procrastinaterating (that's like super procrastinating!) of getting this ID done - let's put some logic to the test here; 

-Why should I or you or even a animal give their blood type or sample to the gov?
-Why should anyone know my DNA or whatever thats' inside my body?

Im really not down with this emirate ID card nor giving anyone biometric data - but i know why they are doing this. with that type of information they can trace ass to MARS if they wanted to... 

-Does anyone know how many criminals enter the UAE and to commit crime and just walk out like it's nothing?

-Does anyone know how many criminals leave their home country to come here and never return back home? 

Folks - I'm glad i majored in Film Studies because I reframe everything that's giving to me in reality. Here's what I mean;

1. place your emirates ID and all related documents on the table
2. stand up! look at your ID & all documents from an aerial point of view and just think for a minute or 2.

We are simple little fish in a big pond - every single thing we do is being controlled and monitored... thats' what the ID card is all about folks - surveillance & control!


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

I ain't just talking out of my ass with the above, here's proof: Gulfnews: Dubai's iris scan helps arrest 54,000 suspects last year

ya dig? the British are turning Dubai into a mini version of _On Her Majesty's Secret Service_  let's see if you guys understood that one


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## grasshopper (Aug 12, 2008)

Nickel said:


> I also got my residency visa about 2 weeks ago. Got my license converted soon after. My Emirates ID: My PRO is doing it all for me. I just filled out the paper. Could you not do it that way? (sorry if this is a dense question)


Although you'll still need to get down to one of the EIDA centres to go through the circus of photographs and fingerprints - unless your company has managed to get them to come out to you (which i hear is theoretically possible but don't know anyone that's actually done it..)

I finally got my Emirates ID last week (about 2 months after I completed registration). They even got my name right, but I look rather frazzled in my photograph


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## md000 (Dec 16, 2008)

UPDATE!!!

So, I went to Ajman this morning believing - Ajman is further away and there will be less people - I was CORRECT! I arrived at 7:10 AM (right before the 7:30 opening), took a seat and stood in line for 5 minutes to get my number (btw - appointments are pretty much thrown out the window - at least in Ajman).

I waited for a bit, went to the officer, paid my money, answered a couple of questions about where to get the thing delivered (20 dirham extra) and then went to the biometric area. OK This isn't really biometrics - they take your picture and digitally fingerprint you. No blood, No eye scan, no nothing. Easy times. 

I left at 9:10 AM - 2 hours after arriving. I was 016 on my number (could have been earlier if the idiot in my line in front of me hadn't screwed around asking questions). 

For the first time in my experience - there was an easy process in the UAE. Go to Ajman. Go early. Bring a book. Bring your passport, 320 AED cash, and your filled out application that you did from the software application.


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## Immortal (Dec 2, 2008)

*Emirates Id Schedule*

Check out the schedule for Emirates ID registration. You may then be able to secure an appointment - iwep.blogspot.com




md000 said:


> So, I finally get my resident visa (after 45 days of being in-process) and like a good expat, I am attempting to get my Emirates ID.
> 
> Online. No reservations available. I even checked Ajman (swing by for a drink?) - no appointments. Booked full everywhere. No indication of what to do on the web site. so...I called:
> 
> ...


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## Immortal (Dec 2, 2008)

Check out the schedule for Emirates ID registration. You may then be able to secure an appointment - I wanna Express (iWep)


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## Lucysky (Jan 21, 2009)

Hey Mike, don't mean to rub it in but I got mine fairly easy. Hope I am not unveiling any mysteries here, but if you work in SAFZA then shouldn't your visa also be from there? I got my national ID in a single day from there, just paid 60dhs for the printing of the application, then another 100dhs for every year of the visa's validity and 20 for having it delivered. It arrived last week I think. No waiting in queues or anything like that was involved. They even do it for your family members whose visas are not from the free zone. Although, I phoned them on Thursday about having the ID done for my brother and they said that it's all been put on hold until March. That said, I seriously doubt this whole ID deal will be cancelled - this tax-free country likes to collect processing fees way too much.

Oh and Joey, they don't take your blood samples or whatever else, only complete finger and palm prints and that's it. No iris scans either.


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