About 95 per cent of UAE nationals have completed the renewal of their identity cards on time in the first half of the year, reflecting wide spread awareness about the importance and benefits of the smart card, according to the Emirates Identity Authority.

The remaining five per cent of nationals who did not renew their cards on time belonged to the categories that are exempt from the process, such as throes abroad on official work, study or medical treatment and people suffering from infectious diseases or facing legal action, it said.

The Emirates ID Authority intimates all card holders about the expiry of of the cards one month in advance through SMS messages. said a statement.

“But this may not benefit those whose telephone numbers have changed or those who did not receive the message due to various reasons. It is, therefore, imperative on all to check the date of expiry diligently to avoid delays and resultant fines,” the authority said in the statement.

“The card holder is responsible and accountable for any delay due to reasons other than the permitted ones. We call upon all card holders to take utmost care in this regard as the Emirates ID card is now a mandatory document for most of the public and private sector requirements, besides being critical for maintaining an accurate population register for the country,” it said.

The authority has given a grace period of one month after the expiration date of the card before charging fines at the rate of Dh20 ($5.4) per day up to a maximum of Dh1,000.
 
The authority also said that the issuance and renewal of identity cards for expatriate residents is linked to their residency status in the country.

They should submit an application for the card before proceeding on the medical examination, it added. - TradeArabia News Service