Access govt services, make transactions with 'UAE Pass'

A visitor tries the UAE Pass during its launch at the Gitex Technology Week at the DWTC in Dubai on Tuesday. - Photos by Dhes Handumon

All UAE residents can now have a digital national identity that can be used to access government services and make transactions online. Launched on Tuesday by Smart Dubai and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) at the Gitex Technology Week, the UAE Pass is now available across all seven emirates.
By creating an account on UAE Pass and downloading the app, residents will be able to log into any government website to make a transaction.
Once the user has logged in with the account, his/her identity and all other personal information will be automatically uploaded on the website, which means the user no longer have to manually enter his or her details.
The UAE Pass is the first national digital identity platform that is available for Emiratis and expats through a single mobile identity, allowing them not just to access services but also to digitally sign documents.
Dr Aisha bint Butti bin Bishr, director-general of the Smart Dubai Office, said: "With this pass, you can access all of the government services, whether federal or local. More than accessing these services, it also provides a digital signature that will allow you to perform all of your transactions digitally without the need to visit any centre or go to any government entity. It's available today and I encourage everyone to register."
Aside from streamlining transactions, the UAE Pass also ensures that residents' digital data is protected.
"It not only helps centralise users' log-ins and credentials, which eliminates the hassle of creating and remembering a multitude of usernames and passwords. It also improves security and confidentiality in conducting online transactions," Dr Bishr said.
"This effectively removes one of the biggest hurdles to large-scale automation and digitisation and drives forward our plans to transform Dubai into a leading smart city, all the while making people's lives easier and happier."
To authenticate an identity via smartphone after downloading the UAE Pass application, users can sign in with two steps: by entering any valid credential, such as Emirates ID number, mobile number, or e-mail address, then by validating the smartphone using a pin. It can also be linked to a Touch ID or a Face ID.
"For transactions of a higher level, if you are buying a property or you sell a car, for example, you need to register with your metric data. We've tried it already with a startup business and all of the DED entities, from Fujairah to Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, and all of us are connected. For all federal and local entities, you can now perform your transactions within 15 minutes," Dr Bishr said.

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