Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Empost ID card pre-registration registration to relaunch

The ID card scramble to get a system that works in place is still going on.

Would it be harsh of me to suggest that perhaps the system should have been organised before the new advanced deadline was sprung on a surprised population. Five million-plus people were suddenly told we had to cram into 26 offices over a few weeks, six offices in Dubai to cater for 1.5 million people, or face severe sanctions.

The numbers simply didn't compute. Too few offices, too many people, too little time.

The latest update is about not the actual process of getting your ID card or even the registration to do that, but the pre-registration to try to organise an appointment to get it done.

Got that?

Apparently:

More mobile units for ID card registration will be set up by the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA), to ease the rush for expatriate registrations.

"As a large number of expatriates are yet to register, we are trying to open new channels to reach out to the applicants, apart from EIDA centres." Emirates Marketing and Promotions (EMP), a subsidiary of Emirates Post Holding, is one of the options.




Details in Gulf News, here.

8 comments:

Keef said...

Absolutely clueless, as always. Why, oh why, oh why, do they make these things so hard?

Got a corker of a story on Spanish bureaucracy coming up.

Seabee said...

Keefie, as you're apparently going to tell us it isn't confined to Dubai, it's an international problem. I look forward to reading it. I have posts about it in Oz and the UK I seem to recall, and I do a post every so often about the bureaucratic mindset.

What always amazes me with these things is that they actually require no more than a bit of thinking, maybe adding up a few numbers, then putting a simple administrative system in place.

Anonymous said...

Excuse me, but there is absolutely no relation between Empost and the ID card. Emirates Post, which is a different company from Empost may be involved in helping the processing in future. EMP who are currently helping in the processing is a sister company of Empost. Please do not rely on the Gulf News to give you correct information regarding Emirates Post and Empost as they consistently mix the two companies, resulting in misinformation being given to the public.

CG said...

having spoken to a few expats recently about their registration, a lot of them seem to have the 'I can't be bothered attitude'. They really should just get everything frozen and stuff it.
Some are complaining about having to take time off work, and how it takes some of them upto 4 hours or so. The locals did not complain. Some queued for over 8 hours with a gazillion kids for their number to be called, myself amongst them.

Of course the system is crap, I agree, but it would help if they really enforced the law on this one.

Anonymous said...

I recall the FNC (Federal national council) in December 2008 stating that "we believe ID Cards should only be issued to Nationals/Emiratis... and expatriates will be given labour cards." FNC, I LOVE YOU! A voice of reason... that has, of course, been ignosed by EIDA. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if in 6-12 months from now we have an announcement: "Expatriates excempt, only UAE nationals need ID card." Gotta stop now... I can feel my blood pressure rising...

Seabee said...

ZTG, the FNC actually comes up with a lot of sensible stuff. I must say I'm impressed with them overall.

WebJunky said...

they can make things hard simply bec they can. you are forgetting you are not in a people's democracy. you are in a one man ruled sheikdom. just have to go with the flow my friend

Anonymous said...

I delivered my papers to EmPost in November and now, 7 months later, I'm still waiting for my envelope to be returned. Friends thought I was stupid booking my appointment for July but now I'm hoping the envelope arrives before the appointment does.