You could soon be ditching your Emirates ID for facial recognition
Your Emirates ID is something you need to carry with you at all times – even for that 'quick trip to the grocery store'. You never know when someone may ask for it or when you need it for some important work. For those of you who tend to forget it at home, this news will come as a bit of relief.
The UAE is set to launch an all-new identification system that will eliminate the need for you to show the handy Emirates ID card. Instead, new technology such as facial recognition and biometrics will be used.
The announcement was made by the Federal National Council via their official social media channel, X.
وجه سعادة د. عدنان حمد الحمادي عضو #المجلس_الوطني_الاتحادي، سؤالاً إلى معالي عبدالرحمن بن محمد العويس وزير الصحة ووقاية المجتمع وزير دولة لشؤون المجلس الوطني الاتحادي، حول ' تعزيز اعتماد الهوية الإلكترونية لتسهيل الإجراءات'. pic.twitter.com/501XuuUitK
— المجلس الوطني الاتحادي (@fnc_uae) April 16, 2025
In the statement, the FNC stated, 'The United Arab Emirates has been a pioneer in providing the best smart services, aiming to facilitate the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors, especially with regard to eID. In this context, the Authority adopts a digital transformation approach based on gradual implementation, whereby easier services are transformed, ensuring a positive and rapid impact on the customer experience, followed by more complex services to ensure a comprehensive and thoughtful transformation'.
The statement added that 'the Authority, in cooperation with a number of partners, has developed and tested advanced biometric identification systems that do not require the use of a traditional ID card. Instead, these systems rely on facial recognition and other technologies supported by artificial intelligence, via the Authority's smart application.'
*Dubai airport deemed world's busiest airport for another year*
The new system is expected to be launched within a year. It will be used to streamline service access across various sectors such as banking, healthcare, hospitality, telecommunications, insurance, healthcare, and other sectors
We will be keeping our eyes on any updates, but for now, hold on to that ID.
Featured image: Getty Images
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