As of today, April 11, the UAE’s residency visa stickers in passports have been replaced by Emirates ID, and the previous form of stickers will only be available online for residents as a reference.

The Emirati ID will serve as proof for residents, according to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security.

It contains information about their visa status.

The previous form of residency stickers will only be available online via the authority’s smart application, according to Major General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Acting Director-General for Foreigners Affairs and Ports at ICA.

This is part of a move to improve transitional flexibility toward using the identity card as an alternative.

He said, “The authority has developed all necessary technical facilities to obtain the details of individuals’ residency through a printed form that can be applied for, through individuals’ accounts using the authority’s smart app or website.”

The authority has previously worked with stakeholders in the aviation sector to allow holders of valid residency visas who are currently outside the nation, as well as visitors, to enter the country by validating their identification using a passport reader located on aero plane platforms.

The decision to phase out visa stickers was made by the UAE Cabinet in order to streamline the process of issuing and renewing resident visas. They will now be connected to the Emirates ID.

The new generation of IDs was revealed last year.

The new card has induced its launch. The issuance or renewal of visas and IDs will be in one application.

It includes personal and professional data and other readable and non-readable data as well.