The Directorate General for Passports has called on all expatriates to renew their Muqeem identity cards (Iqama) before their expiry through the Absher and Muqeem electronic systems. The Directorate said the renewal process will be completed after the payment of the necessary fees through the banking channels. The Directorate will not provide any services to expatriates who do not renew their IDs in time. Besides, they will be fined and subjected to other penalties as well. The new Muqeem ID replaced the old Iqama format last October and is valid for five years. The new ID carries the name of the expatriate, nationality, date of birth, occupation, religion, and employer's name. The ID needs to be renewed annually through the electronic systems without the need to have it reprinted. The Directorate urged all expats to carry their IDs at all times and stressed the importance of safeguarding them against loss. He warned against using them as collaterals and for purposes other than what it has been issued for. The Directorate, in collaboration with the National Information Center of the Interior Ministry, maintains records of the expiry dates of the IDs on its Absher and Muqeem electronic systems, which can be accessed by registered expatriates. The new ID has a number of features, which makes it difficult to forge or tamper with.
