Passport renewal now a breeze for Emiratis

Mohammed Alaa, Staff Reporter


The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) identified seven steps to renew the passport electronically through its website ica.gov.ae and its app on smartphones “ICA UAE.”

According to ICA, the first step is to register and set up an account, or use the digital identity in the event of prior registration.

Then, the person has to select “Passport issuance service”, and then decides the member whose passport will be renewed.

The next step is to select “Passport renewal” from the list of reason for issuing the passport, followed by verifying and updating data if necessary.

The last step is to pay the fees.

The passport can be received from the approved delivery company.

ICA has urged citizens to ensure the accuracy and validity of the data, which include the validity of the ID number and expiry date, the correctness of the phone number and mail address before paying the fees to avoid delays in completing the transaction.

The data will be reviewed and audited by the ICA.

ICA recently has updated its app, where the services of identity, citizenship and residency were merged into a unified ICA UAE SMART app.  

The update includes a virtual portfolio containing electronic copies of the personal documents issued by the ICA, such as the ID card and residency visa.

It also includes the addition of multiple notifications and instant chat service throughout the day, seven days a week.

The app serves citizens, citizens of the GCC countries, residents and visitors.