How to get an Emirates ID
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Ask a consultantYou apply to ICP, the federal identity authority, through its website, an accredited typing centre or one of its service centres, then give fingerprints and a photograph in person. ICP puts the completion time at five days. Residents pay AED 100 for each year of residence plus AED 100 in smart service fees.
An Emirates ID is not optional. It is required of every citizen and resident, and it is the document you are expected to carry.
- Submit the application on the ICP website, at an accredited typing centre or at an ICP service centre.
- Pay the fees for the application.
- Attend an ICP centre in person for biometrics. This step cannot be done online.
- Collect the card, or have it delivered once it is issued.
| Fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Issuing the card, per year of residence | AED 100 |
| Smart service fee | AED 100 |
| Urgent service, at ICP service centres only | AED 150 |
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What this does not mean
The Emirates ID is not the residence visa, and getting one does not grant residence. The card is issued off the back of a residence file that already exists, and the two have separate expiry dates. Applying online also does not remove the trip to a centre, because the biometrics have to be taken in person.
How long the card takes, including the urgent route, is answered in how long it takes to get an Emirates ID. To check an existing card, see our resource on Emirates ID status, and on fines, the Emirates ID fine check.
Sources: ICP, New Identity Card Issuance, service code 377-004-001-000 (fees, five day completion); u.ae, Emirates ID (who must apply and where).
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