Renewal of Emirati passports abroad made easy

Emad El Din Khalil, Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) identified 3 documents, which UAE nationals must submit to renew their passport during their presence abroad through the UAE Traveller page at the Ministry website www.mofaic.gov.ae or through the smartphone application (UAE mofaic).

According to the Ministry, the documents include: a copy of the passport, a personal image, and a message showing the reasons for residing outside the UAE.

The ministry indicated that the renewal of passports of the UAE nationals residing abroad for education, treatment or work is done through diplomatic missions of the UAE abroad, in coordination with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.

It also noted that the renewal of the passport will be through three stages: firstly by signing in through a smart channel of the Ministry with the digital identity; secondly applying for the service electronically through the "Personnel Services," and thirdly, the applicant receives a text message and an electronic message alerting them to head to the mission headquarters to receive deliver the old passport and collect the new one.

The UAE Travellers' page on the ministry’s website offers multiple services for citizens abroad and to those who wish to travel.

These include: Clarification of procedures and guidelines for entry into each country, reporting the infection with COVID-19, “Twajudi Service” and issuance of passports and return documents.

The Ministry invited citizens to learn about smart services and easy procedures by visiting the website or smart application or through communicating with the Ministry communication centre.

Recently, the Passport Index site created by Arton Capital revealed that the UAE passport still boosts its rank in the first place globally as the strongest passport, with a new point added thanks to the visa exemption.

The site added that the UAE passport enhanced its power to enter 159 countries without a prior visa, including 104 countries can be entered without a visa and 55 countries where visa obtained upon arrival or over the Internet.

According to the site, the Emirati passport widened the gap with the second rank passport, the New Zealand passport, to 8 points.

The South Korean passport comes in the third rank, with 150 points.

In fourth place, comes the Australian passport, which allows its holder to enter 150 countries, and in the fifth rank comes the passport of Germany, Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

The Emirates Digital Government indicated on its website, that despite the challenges of Corona pandemic, which restricted the travel movement universally, and resulted in a holistic decline to the power of passports globally, the UAE passport maintained its strength, where it was classified as the first globally.