The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has announced that Emirati citizens can now renew their identity card one year before its expiry, instead of six months, effective from Tuesday, 14 July 2026. The move is designed to give people more flexibility, reduce administrative burden, and make it easier to align identity card renewal with passport renewal in a single process.
Earlier renewal to support smoother services
The decision reflects the authority’s strategy of adopting innovative, proactive digital solutions that improve customer experience and strengthen the UAE’s leadership. It is intended to help citizens access services earlier, manage their affairs more efficiently, and benefit from a more agile service system supported by advanced digital infrastructure.
The new arrangement also aligns with an earlier decision allowing citizens to renew their passports up to a year before expiry. When the expiry dates coincide, citizens will now be able to renew both their passport and identity card together in one integrated transaction, saving time and effort while broadening the number of beneficiaries of this combined service.
Official remarks on quality of life and flexibility
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director-General of the authority, said extending the identity card renewal period to one year rather than six months implements the wise leadership’s directives to provide proactive services to citizens. He added that it reflects the authority’s commitment to meeting citizens’ expectations and responding to their wishes and circumstances by offering more flexible services that allow them to complete transactions at a time that suits them, enhancing quality of life, raising citizen satisfaction and contributing to happiness.
Strengthening the UAE’s model in identity services
He noted that the UAE enjoys a leading global position in identity card issuance, both in terms of ease of issuance and the quality, strength, reliability and security of the service. He also pointed to the card’s use in accessing a wide range of government services through a unique electronic link network with government and private entities.
According to him, the decision provides a strong boost to the regional and international standing of the UAE identity card, making the country’s identity issuance and renewal system an inspiring model for the rest of the region and the world.
Part of the zero bureaucracy drive
Al Khaili said renewing the identity card up to a year before expiry supports the objectives of the Zero Bureaucracy Programme by simplifying the customer journey, reducing duplication in procedures, strengthening integration between services and employing artificial intelligence technologies.
He added that this is in line with the authority’s move towards delivering integrated proactive services, shifting from operational excellence to proactive leadership, and advancing from fragmented services to integrated packages, as well as from a model of waiting to one of anticipation.