Abu Dhabi:  All expats living in the UAE have a stark choice: obtain a national Identity Card or face deportation.

Gulf News has learned residents living in the UAE who don't have the new cards by the end of 2010 will be considered illegal. And their employers will be penalised.

"Without the cards, expats will face difficulties dealing with all sorts of transactions with government and private entities, as their status will be illegal," said Darwish Ahmad Al Zarouni, Director General of the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA).

"Schools will not accept admission of their children and their employers will be taken to task for recruiting them."

Registration

The national identity cards will be required for governmental, semi-governmental and banking transactions by the 2010 deadline.

Already the clock is beginning to tick. Starting November 1, foreign businessmen, investors and company managers will be required to register for the national identity card, Al Zarouni said.

He added that EIDA plans to complete registration of professionals including doctors, engineers, accountants and teachers by the end of October.

Since July 1, EIDA has started registering professionals. "By professionals, we mean any university degree holder other than labourers," Al Zarouni said.

EIDA started registration of expatriate employees of federal and local government organisations on June 1. Expats in government sector have to complete the registration by the end October, Al Zarouni said.

Ministry of Labour officials said they would encourage employers to facilitate registration of their employees for identity cards.

Employers must bear the cost of the national ID card for their workers, according to labour officials.

"Under the labour law, employers must bear all charges for governmental transactions for their workers," an official explained. "The ID card will eventually replace the labour card whose cost is borne by the employer."

Residents can get rewards for giving suggestions to improve the national identity cards and services related to it, the EIDA announced yesterday.

Residents and EIDA staff can earn reward points by offering suggestions to improve the services; the points will be appliedto rewards which could be prize money or appreciation letters, Al Zarouni said.

EIDA will have access to the Ministry of Labour's database to integrate labour cards with national identity cards, as per an agreement signed by both parties.

Payment: Fees and validity

Dh100 for UAE nationals for five years. It is free for UAE nationals under social security.

Expatriates have to pay Dh100 per annum in accordance with the validity of the residence visa. Extra months will be calculated as a year.

For example, if your visa is valid for two years and two months, it will be calculated as three years, you have to pay Dh300 to get an identity card.