How to Get an Emirates ID: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

The Emirates ID is the official identity card issued by the ICP to every UAE citizen and resident. It carries your personal data, a photograph, a fingerprint biometric and a chip, and it acts as your single proof of identity across the country. According to the UAE government, holding the card is mandatory and you are expected to carry it with you at all times.

For anyone moving to Dubai, the card is the key that unlocks daily life. You need it to open a bank account, register a tenancy contract through Ejari, connect DEWA utilities, obtain a driving licence, access healthcare and use most government services. Without it, even routine tasks stall, which is why sorting your Emirates ID early is one of the first priorities after your visa is approved.

Every UAE citizen, GCC national resident in the country and expatriate resident must hold an Emirates ID. This includes dependants such as a spouse and children, and children under 15 receive a card too, although they are generally exempt from the fingerprint and signature steps. In short, if you hold or are applying for a UAE residence visa, you also need an Emirates ID.

For expatriates the two are linked. The Emirates ID is issued as part of the residence visa process, so you normally apply once your entry permit or residence visa is in progress. If you are sponsored by an employer or a free zone, the company or its PRO often handles the application on your behalf, but the underlying steps are the same.

The usual sequence runs as follows. First, your residence visa or entry permit is initiated by your sponsor. Second, you complete a medical fitness test at a government-approved centre; for most residence categories this involves a blood test and a chest X-ray, with results uploaded electronically. Third, you or your typing centre submit the Emirates ID application through the ICP website, the ICP app or an accredited typing centre.

Fourth, you attend an ICP service centre to provide biometrics, meaning your fingerprints, a photograph and signature, if you are 15 or older. Finally, once the residence visa is stamped and the card is printed, you collect it or receive it by post. Standard processing is typically within a few working days of the visa being completed, and an urgent (Fawri) service is available at some centres for an extra fee. Timelines vary, so treat these as indicative rather than guaranteed.

The documents you will generally need are your original passport, a copy of your entry permit or residence visa, a passport-style photograph where requested and, for renewals, your existing Emirates ID. Your sponsor or typing centre will confirm the exact list for your visa category.

On fees, the ICP broadly charges around AED 100 per year of card validity, plus a typing charge and a service or smart-application fee that together usually add a modest amount. A two-year visa therefore tends to generate roughly AED 200 in ID fees before service charges, and urgent processing costs more. Validity is tied to your residence visa, so a standard visa produces a two or three year card while a Golden Visa can give a ten year card. Because published fees change, always confirm the current schedule on the ICP portal before paying.

When the card is ready, the ICP notifies you by SMS and you either collect it from a designated Emirates Post outlet or have it delivered. It is worth keeping the SMS and your application number to hand in case you need to track the card. If a card is lost or stolen, you should report it to the ICP promptly (official guidance references reporting within seven days) and apply for a replacement, which carries its own fee, indicatively from around AED 300 plus service charges.

Renewal is tied to your visa. You can renew from up to six months before the card expires, and expatriates usually renew the residence visa first or at the same time. If you let it lapse, a late fine of AED 20 per day applies, capped at AED 1,000, so it pays to act early. You can start most renewal and replacement requests online through the ICP app or website.

Once you hold the card, the practical doors open. UAE banks require an Emirates ID to open a personal account, so it is effectively the first thing you present when arranging your finances. From there you can set up salary transfers, cards and, later, mortgage discussions if you plan to buy property.

The card is equally central to your home. Registering your tenancy contract through Ejari and connecting DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) both require your Emirates ID, with Ejari or a title deed used as proof of your address. That chain, Emirates ID, then Ejari, then DEWA, then a bank account, is the backbone of settling in Dubai, and it is why we encourage clients relocating or buying with us to prioritise the ID from day one.