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Emirates ID: issuance, renewal windows, fees and fines as officially stated

What u.ae and the ICP service card state about the Emirates ID: a legal requirement for every resident, linked to the residence permit, biometrics from age 15, renewal within six months of expiry (with a 31 July 2026 ICP article on a full-year window flagged as not yet reviewed), the AED 20 per day late fee up to AED 1,000, official fees and the 30-day rule for data changes.

Last reviewed
Checked against official UAE sources · re-reviewed every 30 days

The short answer

The Emirates ID is the identity card issued by ICP that every UAE citizen and resident must apply for and carry at all times. For residents it is linked to the residence permit: the residence is issued against an Emirates ID application and cancelled with it. Fingerprints and signature are taken from age 15. u.ae says the card can be renewed up to six months before expiry or after it, with a late fee of AED 20 per day, capped at AED 1,000, starting one month after expiry; the ICP FAQ describes the same 30-day grace. ICP published an article on 31 July 2026 titled 'A Full Year to Renew Your Emirates ID' which we have not yet reviewed, so confirm the current window before you rely on it.

Key facts

Legal status
'A legal requirement for all UAE citizens and residents to apply for one and carry it with them at all times' (u.ae)
Number
15-digit identity number (u.ae)
Biometrics
Fingerprints and signature from age 15 (u.ae)
Link to residence
Residence permit is issued linked to the Emirates ID application; ID cancellation is linked to residence cancellation (ICP; u.ae)
Renewal window (stated)
As early as six months before expiry or after it (u.ae); residents with less than six months remaining (ICP card)
Late fee
AED 20 per day up to AED 1,000, starting after 30 days from expiry (u.ae; ICP FAQ)
Renewal fees (ICP card)
AED 100 per year of residence; smart application fee AED 100; urgent service AED 150 at service centres; completion 5 days

What the Emirates ID is

u.ae describes the Emirates ID as the identity card issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP). It carries a 15-digit identity number and is the document residents use to prove identity and residence with government and private services. For a resident it is inseparable from the residence permit: the ICP card describes the residence as "linked to an Emirates ID card application", and u.ae says "cancellation of the Emirates ID is linked to the cancellation of the residence visa."

First issuance during the residence process

The Emirates ID application is one of the steps between entry and the residence stamp, and the whole run must finish within 60 days of entry. Individuals who have completed 15 years of age complete fingerprint and signature procedures; the pages do not require them below that age. The ID application receipt is on the u.ae document list for family residence, which is why it appears before the residence permit in the sequence. Read the full sequence on Living in the UAE.

Renewal windows: three official statements and one unreviewed change

The official pages describe the renewal window in slightly different words. The table sets them side by side.

Checked 4 September 2026. Until the ICP article is reviewed, plan on the six-month window and the 30-day grace stated on the pages above.
SourceWhat it saysDate or status
u.ae Emirates ID pageRenewed 'either after its expiry or as early as six months before its expiry. If it is renewed after one month since expiry, a late fee of AED 20 per day will be charged, up to a maximum of AED 1,000.'Page updated 17 Feb 2026
ICP Identity Card Renewal service cardRenewal 'if less than one year remains before its expiry for UAE nationals, and less than six months remains before its expiry for non-UAE nationals'; passport must be valid at least 3 monthsCard dated 11 Dec 2024
ICP FAQ'A grace period of 30 days from the card's expiration date is granted'; fine of AED 20 for each day of delay up to AED 1,000, starting after 30 days from expiryUndated
ICP article 'A Full Year to Renew Your Emirates ID'Title suggests the renewal window for residents has been extended to a year; content not yet reviewed by us31 Jul 2026; NEEDS CHECK before relying on it
The 31 July 2026 ICP article may have changed the renewal window for residents. We have listed it, not summarised it, because we have not read its text. Check the ICP renewal card or the ICP call centre (600522222) before you rely on a one-year window.

Official fees stated

ICP Identity Card Renewal service card and ICP FAQ, checked 4 September 2026. Service completion stated as 5 days.
Item (ICP renewal card wording)Amount
Renewal fees for the Identity Card of residents, for each year of residenceAED 100
Smart application feesAED 100
Urgent service (service centres only)AED 150
Late renewal fineAED 20 per day, maximum AED 1,000, after the 30-day grace
Fine for not reporting a data change within 30 daysAED 20 per day, maximum AED 1,000

How renewal runs

  1. Check your passport has at least three months' validity (ICP card condition).
  2. Apply through ICP smart services or the UAEICP app with UAE Pass, or at an ICP customer happiness centre or registered typing centre. The residence renewal and Emirates ID renewal typically run together because the two are linked.
  3. Pay AED 100 per year of residence plus the AED 100 smart fee; add AED 150 for urgent service at a centre.
  4. Biometrics if requested.
  5. Collect the card. ICP states 5 days for completion.

Data changes and lost cards

Changes to the data on the card must be reported within 30 days, according to u.ae and the ICP renewal card, with a fine of AED 20 per day up to AED 1,000 for delay. The official pages we read do not state a replacement fee for a lost or damaged card; check the ICP replacement service card.

What people get wrong

  • Letting the card and the residence drift apart. They are linked; cancel or renew them together.
  • Assuming the fine starts on the expiry date. Both u.ae and the ICP FAQ describe a 30-day grace before the AED 20 per day fee begins.
  • Relying on a headline about a one-year renewal window. Until the ICP text is reviewed, the documented window is six months.
  • Renewing with a passport that has under three months' validity. The ICP card requires at least three months.
  • Forgetting to report a new passport or name change. Data changes have a 30-day reporting rule with the same daily fine.

Next step

If your residence and Emirates ID expire on different dates, or you are renewing both, read residence renewal and cancellation for the order of operations. For the first issuance during a new residence, the sequence is on UAE residence visa.

Any "starting from" figure is an indicative price for our service and excludes government and third-party fees, which vary by activity, visa count and jurisdiction. Government fees shown are official charges from the cited pages at the review date. Your exact, itemised quote is confirmed free of charge in a consultation, with nothing hidden.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Emirates ID mandatory?

Yes. u.ae states it is a legal requirement for all UAE citizens and residents to apply for one and carry it at all times.

How early can I renew my Emirates ID?

u.ae says as early as six months before expiry; the ICP card says residents may renew when less than six months remain. An ICP article dated 31 July 2026 refers to a full year to renew; we have not reviewed its text.

What is the late fee for an expired Emirates ID?

AED 20 per day up to a maximum of AED 1,000, starting after a 30-day grace period from expiry, per u.ae and the ICP FAQ.

How much does Emirates ID renewal cost?

The ICP card lists AED 100 for each year of residence plus a AED 100 smart application fee, and AED 150 for urgent service at service centres.

Do children need an Emirates ID?

All residents must apply for one. Fingerprints and signature are taken from age 15.

What happens to my Emirates ID when my residence is cancelled?

Cancellation of the Emirates ID is linked to the cancellation of the residence visa, per u.ae.

Official sources and review

The rules on this page were checked against the official pages below. We re-check every 30 days and after any announced change.

Last reviewed

Government fees, thresholds and processing times change without notice. Where an official page does not state a figure, we say so rather than estimate. Nothing here is legal advice or a decision of any UAE authority.

Immigration UAE is a brand of Cosmos Immigration, a private immigration and business-services consultancy. It is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.

Residence and Emirates ID out of sync?

Tell us both expiry dates and your emirate. We will set out the order to renew and what the official pages say about fees and grace periods.

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