According to the Director of the Emirates E-Gate Project (Emirates Electronic Passport Control System) Muhammad Ahmed Al-Zaabi, UAE national identification cards can now be used at large international airports with electronic passport control systems to speed up border and passport control procedures.
In an interview with the state-owned news agency WAM, Al-Zaabi said that the e-gate service can be added to anyone’s ID card for 150 dirhams (US $ 40.9) without the need for any additional documents. This function will be valid for two years, after which it can be updated provided that the passport of the holder is valid for more than six months.
Recall that the national UAE identification cards contain such biometric data of its owner as fingerprints, scanned retina, passport and visa information. All citizens and expatriates living in the country are required to receive them before the end of 2010. Over time, all e-gate cards, which are currently issued to more than 100 thousand inhabitants of the UAE, will be replaced by new identification cards.
