The Emirates ID is the UAE's mandatory identity card for citizens and residents. For an expatriate resident, the ID application is normally connected to residence issuance or renewal. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, known as ICP, handles the identity-card service, while Dubai residence processing can involve GDRFA Dubai and Amer.
For resident cards, ICP currently lists a fee of AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 smart-service fee. ICP also lists a five-day service-completion duration for standard new and renewal ID services after the required steps are completed. People aged 15 or above must complete fingerprint and signature procedures where required. Residents can renew during the final six months of the card's validity or after expiry. A 30-day grace period applies after expiry before the ID late-renewal fine starts.
Quick Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who needs an Emirates ID? | UAE citizens and residents. This guide focuses on expatriate residents. |
| Main authority | Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) |
| Main channels | ICP Smart Services, ICP smart app, approved service centres, and linked residence channels |
| First-time biometrics | People aged 15 or above must complete fingerprint and signature procedures where required |
| Resident ID fee | AED 100 for each year of residence |
| Smart-service fee | AED 100 on the current ICP resident service pages |
| Standard service duration | ICP lists five days for new issuance and renewal after requirements are completed |
| When can a resident renew? | On expiry or during the final six months before expiry |
| Late-renewal grace period | 30 days after ID expiry |
| Late-renewal fine | AED 20 per day after the grace period, up to AED 1,000 |
| Dubai difference | ICP states that the unified residence and identity renewal form applies in all emirates except Dubai, so Dubai residents should also follow GDRFA/Amer residence procedures |
Requirements can change. Confirm your case through ICP, GDRFA Dubai where applicable, your employer PRO, sponsor, or an authorised service centre before payment or submission.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide is for Pakistani, Indian, and other expatriate residents who need to understand what happens when an Emirates ID is issued for the first time or renewed.
It is especially useful if you are:
- arriving in the UAE on an employment-based residence route
- renewing an employment residence permit
- sponsored by a spouse, parent, or other eligible family sponsor
- moving onto a long-term residence category
- handling a dependent's identity-card process
- waiting for biometrics, approval, printing, or delivery
- trying to understand why an Emirates ID application appears stuck
If you are sponsoring family members, the residence side of the process matters just as much as the card itself. Our UAE family visa salary requirement guide explains the wider family sponsorship route.
Domestic workers follow a sponsorship process with additional employment and residence steps. See the UAE domestic worker visa guide for applicants from Pakistan and India for that route.
If you are moving to a long-term residence category rather than a standard employment or family residence, check the UAE Golden Visa eligibility guide for Pakistani and Indian professionals. Readers comparing long-term options can also use our UAE Blue Visa vs Golden Visa guide.
What Is the Emirates ID?
The Emirates ID is the official identity card issued by ICP. The UAE Government states that it is mandatory for UAE citizens and residents.
For expatriates, the identity-card application is closely connected to the residence process. You should therefore think of the Emirates ID as part of your residency file, not as a completely separate plastic card application.
The card and identity number are used across many government and private-sector services. For a new resident, the practical sequence normally involves the residence process, medical fitness where required, identity-card application, biometrics where required, approval, and card delivery.
The exact route depends on your emirate and residence category.
Documents and Information to Prepare
ICP's current resident identity-card service pages list a passport and personal photograph as core documents. Other information may be retrieved through government system integration. If that integration fails, the application can require additional attachments.
For renewal, ICP currently states that the photograph should be recent and should not be identical to the photograph printed on the existing Emirates ID.
ICP's Identity Card Renewal service page also states that the passport must have no less than three months of validity for that ID service. Your residence-renewal route may apply its own passport-validity conditions, so follow the requirements shown in the residence service used for your case.
How to Apply for a New Emirates ID
Step 1: Start or Complete the Residence Process
For an expatriate, the Emirates ID is normally connected to the residence-permit process. Your employer, sponsor, family sponsor, free-zone authority, or authorised representative may handle part of the residence application depending on your category.
Do not treat the Emirates ID request as proof that the residence permit has already been approved. Identity-card issuance can depend on other residence steps being completed.
Step 2: Submit the Identity-Card Application Through an Approved Channel
ICP lists its Smart Services website, smart app, and service centres among the available channels.
For resident applications, the identity service may be linked to the residence application. ICP states that the unified residence and identity process is used for relevant cases, while Dubai has a different residence-processing route.
Review every field before submission, especially:
- full name spelling
- passport number
- nationality
- date of birth
- mobile number
- sponsor or employer details
- delivery address
A mismatch can lead to a correction request or extra follow-up.
Step 3: Upload Any Documents the System Requests
ICP says applicants should attach required documents if the information is not available through institutional linkage.
Do not upload random extra documents unless requested. Use clear scans and make sure the passport and personal data match the residence file.
Step 4: Pay the Identity-Card Service Fees
For expatriate residents, ICP currently lists AED 100 for each year of residence for a new identity card, plus an AED 100 smart-service fee.
These are identity-card service fees only. Residence permit fees, medical fitness costs, health insurance, typing or Amer charges, and other service-channel costs are separate where applicable.
Fees change often. Confirm the exact amount in the official portal before payment.
Step 5: Complete Biometrics if Required
ICP states that anyone who has completed 15 years of age must complete fingerprint and signature procedures through an Authority service centre.
For a first Emirates ID, this is one of the most important steps. If the system asks you to attend a biometrics appointment and you do not complete it, the application cannot move normally to completion.
Bring the documents shown in your appointment or application instructions.
Step 6: Complete Medical and Residence Requirements
For resident cases linked to residence issuance, ICP states that completion can depend on the required approvals and a medical examination result of "Fit" where applicable.
If your residence medical is still pending, has not been linked, or another residence approval is incomplete, the Emirates ID process may remain pending even if you already submitted the identity-card request.
Step 7: Track the Application
ICP provides an ID Card Status service. For a first application, you can track using the application number or PRAN. For renewal or replacement, you can use the Emirates ID number.
ICP also says applicants can check their request through their personal account under their applications or requests.
Keep your application number until the card has been issued and delivered.
Step 8: Receive the Card
ICP says the new card is delivered through an authorised courier for the standard service. For urgent service, collection is through the Authority's centres where that urgent option is available.
Do not assume card delivery will happen immediately after biometrics. The residence and identity application must first clear the required system steps.
How Emirates ID Renewal Works
Renewal is not simply a request for a new plastic card. For expatriate residents, it is connected to the continuation or renewal of lawful residence.
ICP currently allows residents to renew the Emirates ID when it expires or during the final six months of its validity.
Step 1: Check the Residence Renewal First
If your residence permit is also due for renewal, make sure the sponsor, employer, or responsible authority has started the correct residence-renewal process.
ICP states that, outside Dubai, identity-card renewal is submitted with the residence application through a unified residence and identity form.
Step 2: Review Your Personal Data
Check the passport, name, date of birth, contact details, photograph, and sponsor information.
If you renewed your passport, changed your mobile number, or have another data change, make sure the official records are consistent before the application reaches printing.
Step 3: Submit a New Photograph
ICP's current renewal conditions require a recent personal photograph that is not identical to the photograph printed on the existing Emirates ID.
Use a compliant image. Poor photo quality or a non-compliant image can result in a correction request.
Step 4: Complete Biometrics if the System Requires Them
Fingerprint and signature procedures may be required in accordance with the service conditions. Follow the instruction shown in your application rather than assuming previous biometrics always remove the need to attend.
Step 5: Pay the Renewal Fees
For residents, ICP currently lists AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 smart-application fee for identity-card renewal.
An urgent service fee of AED 150 is listed where urgent service is available through ICP service centres.
Fees change often. Confirm the exact amount in the official portal before payment.
Step 6: Track Until Issuance and Delivery
Use the Emirates ID number or request number to follow the renewal.
If the status does not move, first check whether the residence renewal, medical result, biometrics, or a requested correction is still pending.
Special Note for Dubai Residents
Dubai residents should not assume that the residence side of the process will look exactly like Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, or Fujairah.
ICP's current renewal service page states that the unified residence and identity renewal form applies in all emirates except Dubai.
In Dubai, residence-permit processing is handled through GDRFA Dubai and its authorised channels such as Amer, while the Emirates ID remains part of the federal identity system.
This matters when an application is delayed. A pending Dubai residence step may need to be checked through GDRFA or Amer rather than by looking only at the ICP identity-card screen.
For Dubai residence enquiries, use the official GDRFA Dubai channels. For Emirates ID status, use ICP's ID Card Status service.
Emirates ID Fees in 2026
The following figures are taken from the current ICP identity-card service pages checked on 19 August 2026.
| Fee or charge | Current ICP-listed amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| New Emirates ID for a resident | AED 100 per year of residence | Identity-card issuance fee |
| Renewal of Emirates ID for a resident | AED 100 per year of residence | Identity-card renewal fee |
| Smart-service / smart-application fee | AED 100 | Listed on the current ICP resident ID service pages |
| Urgent service | AED 150 | Additional fee where urgent service is available at ICP service centres |
| Late renewal after grace period | AED 20 per day | Starts after the 30-day grace period following ID expiry |
| Maximum ID late-renewal fine | AED 1,000 | Maximum stated late-renewal fine |
These amounts do not represent the full cost of renewing UAE residence. Residence issuance or renewal, medical fitness, health insurance, typing or Amer services, and other category-specific charges can be separate.
Fees change often. Confirm the exact amount in the official portal before payment.
How Long Does Emirates ID Take?
ICP currently lists a service-completion duration of five days for both new identity-card issuance and identity-card renewal.
Treat that as the Authority's listed service duration, not a guarantee that every resident will receive a physical card five days after starting the overall residence process.
The total time can be longer if:
- the residence permit is not yet approved or renewed
- medical fitness is still pending where required
- fingerprints or signature are incomplete
- the application is returned for modification
- a photograph does not meet the required standard
- passport or residence information does not match
- additional documents are requested
- the applicant misses a biometrics appointment
- the Dubai residence file is still pending with the relevant Dubai authority
- delivery cannot be completed because contact or address details are wrong
Processing depends on the official portal, sponsor or employer action, document completeness, biometrics, residence approval, and any system blockers.
The Most Common Emirates ID Delays
Many apparent ID delays are linked to an unfinished requirement earlier in the identity or residence process.
Delay 1: Biometrics Are Pending
If you are 15 or older and the application requires biometrics, complete the fingerprint and signature step as instructed.
Do not wait for the physical card while the biometrics requirement is still open.
Delay 2: Residence Approval Is Still Pending
For expatriates, identity-card processing depends on residence status. A submitted Emirates ID request does not remove the need to complete residence approvals.
Ask your employer PRO, sponsor, free-zone authority, GDRFA/Amer in Dubai, or ICP channel to identify which linked step is still incomplete.
Delay 3: The Application Was Returned for Modification
ICP's service conditions say an application can be cancelled if required procedures or requested amendments are not completed within the specified period.
Check SMS, email, the ICP account, and the application status regularly. If a correction is requested, deal with it promptly.
Delay 4: The Photograph Is Rejected
ICP requires the personal photograph to meet ICAO standards. For renewal, the current service conditions also require a recent photograph that is not identical to the photograph printed on the existing card.
Use a recent, clear image that follows the portal's specifications.
Delay 5: Passport or Identity Data Do Not Match
Name spelling, passport number, date of birth, and nationality should be consistent across the passport, residence application, and identity-card request.
If the passport was renewed, make sure the residence and identity records use the correct current passport details.
Delay 6: You Are Following the Wrong Authority for the Pending Step
ICP handles the federal identity-card service. Dubai residence matters may involve GDRFA Dubai and Amer.
If the Emirates ID screen is waiting on residence approval, checking the correct residence authority can be more useful than repeatedly submitting the ID request.
How to Check Emirates ID Application Status
ICP's ID Card Status service allows you to check:
- a first-time application using the PRAN or application number
- a renewal or replacement using the Emirates ID number
- the request status through the ICP account if the application was submitted through your account
ICP's current call centre number inside the UAE is 600 522222.
For Dubai residence matters, GDRFA Dubai currently lists 800 5111 as its contact-centre number inside the UAE.
When calling, keep your passport, Emirates ID number if you have one, PRAN or request number, and residence file details ready.
What to Do If Your Emirates ID Has Already Expired
ICP's FAQ states that residents receive a 30-day grace period from the Emirates ID expiry date to complete renewal procedures.
After that grace period, the ID late-renewal fine is AED 20 per day, up to a maximum of AED 1,000.
Do not confuse the Emirates ID late-renewal fine with residence overstay rules. They are different issues and can have different consequences and charges.
If both your residence and Emirates ID are expired, check the residence status through the authority responsible for your case and the ID status through ICP.
In limited approved situations, ICP also provides a service for requesting exemption from administrative delay fees. Exemption is not automatic and should not be assumed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Official Sources Checked
This guide was authenticated against current official UAE sources on 19 August 2026.
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), "New Identity Card Issuance"
- ICP, "Identity Card Renewal"
- ICP, "ID Card Status"
- ICP, official FAQ covering Emirates ID tracking, renewal window, biometrics, and late-renewal penalties
- The Official Platform of the UAE Government, "Emirates ID"
- GDRFA Dubai, official portal and application-status services for Dubai residence matters
Key points verified include the resident card fee basis, smart-service fee, urgent-service fee, biometrics requirement from age 15, resident renewal window, 30-day grace period, late-renewal fine, five-day listed service duration, application tracking method, and the Dubai exception to the unified residence and identity renewal form.
Requirements can change by residence category and service channel. Confirm your case through the relevant official portal before payment or submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Official Platform of the UAE Government states that Emirates ID is mandatory for UAE citizens and residents. For expatriates, the identity-card process is normally linked to residence issuance or renewal.
ICP currently lists AED 100 for each year of residence for a resident identity card, plus an AED 100 smart-service or smart-application fee on the current service pages. An additional urgent-service fee of AED 150 is listed where urgent service is available at ICP service centres. These are identity-card service fees, not the full cost of residence renewal. Fees change often, so confirm the exact amount in the official portal before payment.
ICP lists a five-day service-completion duration for new issuance and renewal, but that should not be treated as a guarantee from the date of biometrics. Residence approval, medical fitness where required, corrections, system integration, and delivery can extend the overall time.
ICP's current service conditions state that individuals who have completed 15 years of age must complete fingerprint and signature procedures through the Authority's service centres. Follow the appointment or application instruction shown for your case.
Yes. ICP currently allows residents to renew when the card expires or during the final six months of its validity. The residence renewal also needs to follow the rules for your residence category.
ICP states that a 30-day grace period applies after the ID expiry date. After that period, the late-renewal fine is AED 20 per day up to a maximum of AED 1,000. This is separate from any residence-related overstay issue.
ICP's service conditions state that an application can be cancelled if required procedures are not completed or if requested amendments are not made within the specified period. Check your registered mobile number, email, and ICP application status so you do not miss a correction or biometrics request.
Medical fitness is only one part of the process. The residence approval, biometrics, data checks, requested corrections, and identity-card processing must also be complete. Check the ICP application status and, if you are in Dubai, confirm whether a residence step is still pending with GDRFA or Amer.
The Emirates ID is a federal identity service handled by ICP, but Dubai residence processing is handled through GDRFA Dubai and authorised channels such as Amer. ICP specifically states that the unified residence and identity renewal form used in other emirates does not apply to Dubai, so Dubai residents may need to check both systems depending on which step is pending.
Use ICP's ID Card Status service. For a first application, enter the application number or PRAN. For a renewal or replacement, you can use the Emirates ID number. ICP also allows applicants to check requests through their account when the application was submitted through that account.
ICP's current renewal conditions require a recent photograph and state that it should not be identical to the photograph printed on the existing Emirates ID. Use a recent image that meets the required photo standards.
No. The Emirates ID late-renewal penalty is an identity-card administrative fine. Residence expiry, cancellation, and overstay are separate immigration matters. If both are affected, check the residence status through the authority responsible for your residence and the ID status through ICP.
Bottom Line
For most expatriates, the Emirates ID process is straightforward when the residence file, medical fitness, biometrics, personal data, and required fees are all in order.
The most important point is that the card does not operate separately from your residence process. If the application is delayed, identify the exact blocker instead of repeatedly submitting the same request. Check residence approval, medical fitness, biometrics, correction requests, passport data, and delivery details in that order.
For resident identity-card fees, ICP currently lists AED 100 per year of residence plus an AED 100 smart-service fee. ICP lists five days as the service-completion duration for new issuance and renewal, while residents have a 30-day post-expiry grace period before the ID late-renewal fine begins.
If you are in Dubai, remember that the residence side is handled differently from the unified ICP residence and identity route used elsewhere. Use ICP for Emirates ID status and GDRFA/Amer for Dubai residence steps where applicable.