Key takeaways
- How long does an Emirates ID take? ICP publishes 5 days for a new card, a renewal and a replacement for a lost or damaged card. That is ICP’s own production time from a complete, approved application. Courier delivery sits on top of it.
- The urgent service is 24 hours, but not for everyone. u.ae says ICP issues cards “within 24 hours” on its urgent service for UAE and GCC nationals, and for other expatriate residents only when the Emirates ID card is a replacement. It costs AED 150 extra and the card is collected from an ICP centre.
- The clock does not start when you pay. For a first card it starts once the residence is approved, the medical is “Fit” and anyone aged 15 or over has given fingerprints and a signature. Time spent before that is preparation, not Emirates ID processing time.
- In Dubai two authorities are involved. GDRFA Dubai issues the residence (48 hours on its service cards) and ICP prints the Emirates ID card for every emirate, through one unified application.
- A Golden visa card takes the same 5 days. Only the validity and fee differ: ten years at AED 100 a year plus AED 100 smart services, so AED 1,100 on ICP’s fee lines.
- Most delays are not printing. They come from a returned application, a rejected photo, a missed biometrics appointment, a pending approval or a wrong mobile number for the courier.
- You can usually carry on while you wait. The residence is valid from the day it is issued, and the digital Emirates ID and residency details are available in the UAEICP app and UAE PASS once the record exists.
How long does an Emirates ID take? On ICP’s service cards the answer is 5 days for a new card, a renewal or a replacement, counted from a complete and approved application, with the Emirates ID card then delivered by courier; the urgent service issues a card within 24 hours for UAE and GCC nationals, and for other residents only when replacing a lost or damaged card. In practice the wait you feel is longer than 5 days, because the Emirates ID processing time only begins once the residence approval, the medical result and the biometrics are done, and it ends before the courier reaches you.
This guide deals with Emirates ID timelines only. It sets out every official service time we could verify on 24 September 2026, the fee line and source card behind each one, when the clock actually starts, how the Dubai residence and the ICP card steps fit together, how delivery and collection work, what adds days, and what you can do while the Emirates ID card is being made. Where an authority does not publish a figure, or two official pages disagree, we say so rather than fill the gap with a guess.
It replaces an earlier version of this page that quoted unsourced ranges of 5 to 10 working days, and 3 to 5 days for urgent handling. Those numbers are gone. The official figures below come from the ICP service cards themselves, and anything that is our own experience is labelled as such.
Emirates ID processing time at a glance
How long does an Emirates ID take in your situation? The short version, by situation. The middle column is what ICP or u.ae publishes. The right-hand column is what actually decides how long the Emirates ID card takes to reach you.
| Your situation | Published Emirates ID processing time | What really sets the wait |
|---|---|---|
| First card with a new residence (employment, family, investor) | 5 days (ICP New Identity Card Issuance), then courier | Residence approval, medical “Fit” result, biometrics for anyone 15 or over |
| Renewal of a resident’s card | 5 days (ICP Identity Card Renewal), then courier | The residence renewal going through first; any request to attend biometrics |
| Replacement, lost or damaged | 5 days standard; urgent within 24 hours with AED 150 extra, collected from an ICP centre | Whether you apply online (standard) or go to a centre (urgent) |
| UAE or GCC national, any card | 5 days standard; urgent within 24 hours (u.ae) | Biometrics if 15 or over; choosing the urgent service at a centre |
| Golden visa holder, 10-year card | 5 days for the card; GDRFA’s Golden residence card shows 5 days for the residence itself | The Golden residence approval, then the Emirates ID card |
| Child under 15 | 5 days, no fingerprints required by ICP’s cards | The parent’s own residence and the child’s residence approval |
| Change of personal data (new passport, name) | 5 days on ICP’s replacement card; data update line AED 150 | The residence data amendment being completed first |
ICP’s cards say “5 Days” without saying working or calendar days. In our experience the count behaves like working days, because printing and courier dispatch do not run at full speed over weekends and public holidays. Treat 5 days as a service target from ICP’s side, not a delivery promise.
How long does an Emirates ID take with us: how MIRDXB PRO helps
Most of the time lost on an Emirates ID is lost before ICP’s 5 days even begin: a photo that fails the ICAO standard, a typing error that sends the application back, a biometrics SMS that goes to an old number, a residence step that was never finished. That is the part we control for you.
What we do
- Check the file before it is typed: passport validity (ICP asks for at least 3 months), photo against the ICAO standard, name spelling against the passport and the residence record, mobile number and delivery details.
- Type and submit the application through the right channel: the unified residence and Emirates ID application in Dubai, or ICP’s smart channels and centres for the other emirates.
- Sequence the steps so the Emirates ID card starts as soon as it can: medical first, residence approval, then biometrics for anyone 15 or over.
- Track the Emirates ID card from submission to courier handover, and tell you on the day if ICP returns the application for an amendment.
- Handle renewals and replacements, including telling you honestly whether the urgent service is open to you before you pay for it.
How it works
- WhatsApp us with your passport copy, the current residence or entry permit, and the emirate that issued it. If you already applied, send the application number.
- We tell you the realistic timeline for your case, which steps are still open, and which of them only you can do (the medical and biometrics).
- We send a written quote: government fees at cost, our service fee stated separately.
- We submit and track, sending you each receipt, the application number and the courier details when the Emirates ID card is dispatched.
What it costs
Government fees are passed on at cost, exactly as they appear on the receipt. For a resident that is AED 100 for each year of residence plus AED 100 smart services on ICP’s cards, AED 300 plus AED 100 smart services for a lost or damaged replacement, and AED 150 extra where the urgent service applies. Typing or service centre charges appear as separate lines. Our own fee is quoted in writing before we start. The structure is on our fees page.
Why residents use us
- We publish our sources. Every time and fee on this page links back to the ICP, GDRFA or u.ae page it comes from.
- We cover both authorities. GDRFA Dubai for the residence and ICP for the Emirates ID card and for the other emirates, so nothing falls between the two.
- We tell you when you do not need us. A straightforward renewal with good photos can be done on the ICP app in a few minutes, and we will say so.
- We are local. Our office is in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, open by appointment; whatsApp us any time, 24 hours; office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 (Dubai time).
We handle new cards, renewals and applications that have gone quiet through our Emirates ID typing services in Dubai. If the card is expiring, our Emirates ID renewal service is the direct route, and for a lost or broken card see lost or damaged Emirates ID replacement.
The official Emirates ID processing time, card by card
ICP, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, issues the Emirates ID card for residents and citizens in every emirate, including Dubai. Its service cards are the only official place where a completion time is published. We read each one on 24 September 2026.
| ICP service | Published Emirates ID processing time | Fees on the card (AED) | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Identity Card Issuance | 5 days | Residents 100 per year of residence; smart services 100; urgent 150 (centres only). Citizens under 21: 100 (5-year card); 21 and over: 200 (10-year card). 5-year card (GCC): 100 | Authorised courier (standard); collection from an ICP centre (urgent) |
| Identity Card Renewal | 5 days | Residents 100 per year of residence plus smart application 100; citizens 100 (under 21) or 200 (21 and over); GCC 100 plus 100; urgent 150 (centres only) | Courier (standard); centre collection (urgent) |
| Issue Replacement for lost / damaged ID Card | 5 days | Replacement 300; smart services 100; urgent 150 (centres only); replacement with data update 150 (centres) | Courier (standard); centre collection (urgent) |
| Emirates ID urgent service (u.ae) | Within 24 hours | 150 on each ICP card | Collected from an ICP centre |
Three lines on those cards matter for timing more than any fee. The standard card “is delivered through the authorized courier”, so the 5 days end at dispatch, not at your door. The urgent service is “available only at the Authority’s service centers”, so it cannot be chosen on the app. And “the application will be canceled if the procedures are not completed” within the period ICP sets, which the cards do not state in days.
New Emirates ID card: processing time of 5 days after the residence is ready
A first Emirates ID is never a standalone transaction for a resident. ICP’s New Identity Card Issuance card says the service is completed “through the unified application for the Emirates ID and residence permit”, that it “must be submitted by the sponsor on behalf of the family members”, and that completing it “requires obtaining the necessary approvals and passing the medical examination with a ‘Fit’ result”.
So the 5 days for a new card cannot run until three things exist: an approved residence, a medical fitness certificate marked “Fit”, and biometrics from anyone aged 15 or over. For a new employee in Dubai that usually means Emirates ID card production starts the day the residence is issued, or the day biometrics are completed, whichever is later.
ICP’s card also sets two conditions that catch people out: the passport must be valid for “at least 3 months”, and the personal photograph must meet the ICAO standard. A photo that fails either the background, lighting or expression checks is one of the most common reasons an application is returned, which restarts the wait. The full chain for a new residence, and how long each step takes at GDRFA, MOHRE and the medical centre, is in our guide to UAE visa processing times.
Emirates ID renewal time: 5 days on ICP’s card
The Emirates ID renewal time on ICP’s Identity Card Renewal card is also 5 days. For a resident, the Emirates ID card is renewed together with the residence, because the card’s validity follows the residence. In Dubai that means GDRFA renews the residence (48 hours on its renewal service cards) and ICP then produces the renewed card.
The renewal window is set on the same card. Non-UAE nationals, including GCC citizens living in the UAE, can renew “if it has expired, or if less than six months remains before its expiry”. UAE nationals can renew “if less than one year remains before its expiry”. u.ae adds that a card renewed “after one month since expiry” attracts a late fee of AED 20 a day up to AED 1,000. The fine rules, exemptions and how to pay are in our Emirates ID fine guide.
The renewal card adds one condition that trips up people renewing on the app: the new photo “must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the Emirates ID card”. Upload the same photo you used last time and the application comes back.
Do you need to attend biometrics again on renewal? ICP’s card says that “individuals who have completed 15 years of age are required to complete the fingerprint and signature procedures through the Authority’s service centers”. In our experience ICP tells you by SMS when it needs you to attend, and many adult renewals go through on the fingerprints already held. We do not treat that as a rule: if you receive an appointment, attend it, because the Emirates ID card will not move until you do. Who needs biometrics and how appointments work is covered in our Emirates ID biometrics appointment guide.
Emirates ID processing time for a lost or damaged card
A replacement is also published at 5 days, and this is the one case where an expatriate resident can use the 24-hour Emirates ID urgent service. The replacement card keeps “the same validity period as the lost or damaged card”, so it does not extend anything.
ICP’s replacement card lists the documents as a personal photo, the passport and proof of UAE residence. It does not list a police report, which the previous version of this page said “may be required”. If the card was stolen, reporting the theft to the police is still sensible for your own protection, but it is not on ICP’s list of documents for the replacement.
The fee lines are AED 300 for the replacement and AED 100 smart services, plus AED 150 if you choose the urgent service at a centre. The card also has a separate line of AED 150 for a “replacement – data update”, used when the card is reissued because personal data changed. Our replacement service handles the application and collection for you.
The Emirates ID urgent service: who can use it
This is the point on which official pages do not say quite the same thing, so we show both.
- u.ae, the government portal, says: “ICP provides an urgent service for issuing the Emirates ID card within 24 hours.” It lists UAE nationals and GCC nationals residing in the UAE as eligible for first registration, renewal and lost or damaged cards, and says that “expatriate residents other than GCC nationals” are “entitled to the urgent service only in case of replacement”.
- ICP’s service cards list an “Urgent service fee (available only at the Authority’s service centers)” of AED 150 on the new card, renewal and replacement services, and on the new card that line is not tied to any nationality. The cards do not repeat u.ae’s restriction, and they do not state 24 hours; the completion time shown is 5 days.
Our reading is that the u.ae restriction on the Emirates ID urgent service is the operative rule for expatriate residents, and it matches what we see at the counter: a resident asking for an urgent first card or renewal is normally told the urgent route is for replacements. If your case is unusual, ask the ICP officer at the centre before paying. Do not rely on anyone who promises an urgent new card for an expatriate resident as a matter of routine.
ICP publishes one faster option for the Emirates ID card: its Emirates ID urgent service, at AED 150, available at its centres. We found no official VIP, premium or express Emirates ID service beyond that. When a typing centre sells a “VIP” or “express” Emirates ID, what you are paying for is faster typing or a quicker queue at that centre, not faster production at ICP. Ask exactly what the extra fee buys.
Golden visa Emirates ID card: 10 years, the same 5 days
A Golden visa holder receives an Emirates ID card valid for the length of the Golden residence. There is no separate Golden card service with its own time: the Emirates ID card is issued through the same ICP services and the same 5-day completion time. What changes is the fee, because residents pay AED 100 for each year of residence. For ten years that is AED 1,000, plus AED 100 smart services, so AED 1,100 on ICP’s fee lines.
The residence itself takes longer than an ordinary residence. In Dubai, GDRFA’s Golden residence service cards for investors and entrepreneurs show 5 days, against 48 hours for most ordinary residence cards. So a Golden applicant who has already passed the medical and biometrics can expect the residence and the Emirates ID card to take roughly 5 days each on the published figures, plus courier time. The full cost of a Golden residence, including the card, is broken down in our Golden visa cost Dubai guide.
Emirates ID processing time for children and newborns
Children follow the same 5-day Emirates ID processing time but with one fewer step. ICP’s cards require fingerprints and a signature only from “individuals who have completed 15 years of age”, so a younger child does not need a fingerprint appointment for the card to move. The child’s photograph must still meet the ICAO standard, and ICP can ask anyone to attend a centre; if an appointment arrives for your child, keep it.
What slows a child’s Emirates ID is the order of steps, not the card. The sponsor’s own residence must be valid first, and ICP’s new card says the sponsor applies “on behalf of the family members” through the unified application. For a baby born in the UAE, u.ae says the residence must be arranged within 120 days of birth; the card follows the residence. Age limits for sponsoring older children are in our son visa age limit guide.
UAE nationals, GCC nationals and residents: different clocks
| Point | UAE nationals | GCC nationals living in the UAE | Other residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Emirates ID processing time | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days |
| Emirates ID urgent service within 24 hours (u.ae) | New, renewal, replacement | New, renewal, replacement | Replacement only |
| Emirates ID card validity | 5 years under 21; 10 years from 21 | 5 years | Follows the residence (for example 2, 3, 5 or 10 years) |
| Renewal window (ICP renewal card) | Less than one year before expiry | Less than six months before expiry | Less than six months before expiry |
| Emirates ID card fee (ICP) | AED 100 or 200 | AED 100 plus smart services | AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 smart services |
| Depends on a residence step? | No | No residence, but proof of status in the UAE | Yes: GDRFA in Dubai, ICP elsewhere |
For a UAE or GCC national the Emirates ID card is the whole transaction, so the published 5 days, or 24 hours on the urgent service, is close to the real wait. For an expatriate resident the Emirates ID card is the last link in a chain, and the chain is what decides the date.
When the Emirates ID processing time actually starts
People who compare notes online quote very different times for the same card, and the reason is almost always that they started counting at different moments. There are four candidates, and only one of them is the start of ICP’s 5 days.
| Moment | Does the Emirates ID processing time start here? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Application typed and paid | Not for a first card | ICP still needs the residence approval, the medical “Fit” result and biometrics. For a replacement applied online, payment is close to the start. |
| Application returned for amendment | The clock stops | Nothing moves until the correction is made, and ICP cancels applications not corrected “within the specified period”. |
| Residence approved and medical “Fit” | Yes, if biometrics are already on file or not required | This is typical for renewals and for children under 15. |
| Biometrics completed | Yes, for anyone 15 or over who is called | It is the last thing ICP needs from the person. |
A good working rule for how long an Emirates ID takes: the Emirates ID processing time begins at the later of “residence approved” and “biometrics done”. Everything before that point is part of the residence, and it is covered in our visa processing times guide. Everything after it is ICP production, then the courier.
ICP application numbers start with 010. Keep the number from your receipt: it is what you use to check the status on ICP’s channels, and it is the first thing anyone helping you will ask for. Our Emirates ID status check guide explains every official way to track it and what each status means.
How the Dubai residence and the ICP card steps interact
If you live in Dubai you deal with two authorities for one card. GDRFA Dubai, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, issues and renews the residence. ICP issues the Emirates ID card. The unified application means you submit once, at an Amer centre or through GDRFA’s channels, and the data passes between the two. In Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, ICP handles both the residence and the Emirates ID card.
| Step | Dubai | Other emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Where you apply | Amer centre or GDRFA smart channels (unified residence and Emirates ID application) | ICP smart channels, ICP-approved typing centres, ICP centres |
| Residence issue or renewal | GDRFA: 48 hours on its service cards | ICP: 2 days on its residence cards |
| Medical fitness | Dubai Health centres | Emirates Health Services or Abu Dhabi providers |
| Biometrics (15 and over) | ICP centre when called | ICP centre when called |
| Emirates ID card | ICP: 5 days, then courier | ICP: 5 days, then courier |
| Where to check | GDRFA for the residence; ICP for the card | ICP for both |
The practical consequence in Dubai is that “my visa is done” and “my Emirates ID is done” are two different events on two different systems. A GDRFA status can show the residence issued while ICP is still waiting for biometrics or printing the Emirates ID card. A blank result on the wrong authority’s website is not bad news; it usually means you are looking in the wrong place. Our ICP vs GDRFA guide explains which authority holds which record, and GDRFA status check covers the residence side.
Since 2022 the Emirates ID has served as the proof of residence for expatriates in place of the old passport sticker, which ICP began replacing in April 2022 according to Gulf News reporting at the time. The residence exists in the system from the day GDRFA or ICP issues it. The Emirates ID card is the physical evidence of it. How the two records stay linked, and what happens to the card when the passport or sponsor changes, is in our Emirates ID and visa linking guide.
Emirates ID delivery time: courier, Emirates Post and collection
ICP’s 5 days cover production. What happens next depends on which service you chose.
- Standard service: the Emirates ID card “is delivered through the authorized courier”. The courier contacts you on the mobile number held on the application, so an old or mistyped number is one of the simplest ways to lose a week after the card is already printed.
- Emirates ID urgent service: the card is “collected from the Authority’s centers”. There is no courier leg, which is part of why the urgent route is faster.
- Emirates Post collection: where a card is routed to a post office, Emirates Post sends a text message telling you which branch to collect from. Gulf News reported in 2024, citing ICP, that a card not collected within 90 days is returned to ICP and destroyed, after which a replacement has to be applied for and paid for. We could not find that 90-day rule on a current ICP service card, so treat it as reported rather than confirmed, and collect promptly.
Emirates ID delivery time itself is not published on any ICP card we could find. In our experience a courier delivery inside Dubai usually happens within a few working days of dispatch, and slower around long public holidays. That is an observation, not an official figure.
Published Emirates ID processing time vs typical end-to-end
When someone asks how long an Emirates ID takes, they usually mean “from the day I applied until the Emirates ID card is in my hand”. ICP’s 5 days answer a narrower question. The table below sets the two side by side.
The right-hand column is not official. It is the range we see on files that are complete and have no complications, and it is deliberately conservative. Your card can come faster or slower, and nothing here is a promise.
| Situation | Published Emirates ID processing time and steps that apply | Typical in our experience, clean file (not official) |
|---|---|---|
| New resident, from biometrics to card in hand | ICP 5 days, then courier | About 1 to 2 weeks |
| New employee in Dubai, from arrival to card in hand | Medical 24 working hours (regular); GDRFA residence 48 hours; ICP 5 days | About 2 to 4 weeks, most of it before the card clock starts |
| Emirates ID renewal time for a resident, biometrics already on file | GDRFA 48 hours or ICP 2 days for the residence; ICP 5 days for the card | About 1 to 2 weeks from submitting a complete renewal |
| Lost card, standard replacement online | ICP 5 days, then courier | About 1 to 2 weeks |
| Lost Emirates ID card, urgent at an ICP centre | Within 24 hours (u.ae) | Next working day in most cases we have seen |
| UAE or GCC national, Emirates ID urgent service | Within 24 hours (u.ae) | Next working day in most cases |
| Golden residence, Dubai | GDRFA Golden residence 5 days; ICP card 5 days | About 2 to 3 weeks after the Golden approval, if medical and biometrics are done promptly |
Notice what drives the difference in every row: the steps outside ICP’s 5 days. That is why “5 days” and “it took me three weeks” can both be true for the same card.
What adds time to the Emirates ID processing time
This section is about what makes the Emirates ID processing time longer than the published figure, and how to prevent each cause before you apply. If your card is already late after biometrics, our Emirates ID delayed after biometrics guide is the troubleshooting page, with the checks and escalation routes in order.
| Cause | What happens to the clock | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Typing errors (name, passport number, date of birth, nationality) | Application returned for amendment; clock stops until corrected | Type from the passport data page, not from an old visa or card; check the Arabic name against previous records |
| Photo rejected | Returned for amendment | ICAO-standard photo: plain light background, face fully visible, neutral expression; for renewals, not the same photo as the current card |
| Biometrics not attended | Card does not move; ICP can cancel the application if biometrics are not completed “within the set period” | Correct mobile number on file; attend the first slot offered |
| Fingerprints of poor quality | A second appointment may be needed | Mention cuts, henna or skin conditions at the centre so an alternative is used |
| Medical not “Fit” yet | A first card cannot complete; ICP requires a “Fit” result | Book the medical in the first days after entry |
| Pending approvals or security check | Time not published; the file waits | Nothing can be paid to speed it; make sure every document is complete so the file is not held for something else too |
| Passport under 3 months’ validity | ICP will not issue or renew | Renew the passport first, then update the residence data |
| Residence data not matching the passport | Card waits for the data amendment | Transfer the residence to the new passport before the card; see our new passport guide |
| Wrong mobile number or address | Card printed on time but not delivered | Check the contact details on the application before submission |
| Weekends, Eid and National Day | Production and courier slow down | Apply earlier when a holiday falls inside the window |
Security checks: what they are and what they are not
ICP’s new card says the service requires “obtaining the necessary approvals”. Most applications pass through that stage without anyone noticing. Occasionally a file is held for longer, and no authority publishes how long that takes. It is not a sign of refusal, and it cannot be bought out of: there is no official fee that speeds a review. What you can do is make sure the file is otherwise perfect, so that when the approval clears nothing else is waiting.
A returned application is the biggest avoidable delay
In our experience the single most common reason a card takes weeks rather than days is an application that ICP returned for a small correction and nobody acted on. The SMS goes to the number on file, the correction is not made, and the file sits. ICP’s cards say applications are cancelled if the “required modifications to the returned applications” are not made within its period. If you applied through a typing centre, ask them to confirm by message the day the application is accepted.
What you can do while the Emirates ID card is being made
For most residents the physical Emirates ID card is not the thing that unlocks life in the UAE. The residence is. Once the residence is issued it is valid, and several official tools show the record before the plastic arrives.
- Use the digital Emirates ID. The UAEICP app, signed in with UAE PASS, shows a digital version of the Emirates ID and the residency details, and UAE PASS can hold the Emirates ID among its documents. We verified this through Gulf News guides (2022 and 2025) rather than an ICP service card, and whether a particular bank, landlord or employer accepts the digital version is their decision. Ask them before you assume either way.
- Get a residency printout if needed. ICP offers a printed residency document with its stamp for people who need paper proof, according to Gulf News reporting when the passport sticker was replaced in 2022.
- Keep the e-residence copy. Your residence approval is issued electronically; keep a copy on your phone.
- Carry on with MOHRE and GDRFA transactions that rely on the residence record rather than the card. Online MOHRE services require a UAE PASS login.
- Travel with care. The residence is linked to your passport, so travelling before the Emirates ID card arrives is generally possible, but plan it around any biometrics appointment and keep your digital residency available. The detail of travelling without the card, and what to do if it arrives while you are away, is in our delayed Emirates ID guide.
Banks, telecom providers and landlords often need to verify your identity against the government record, not to hold the card. Ask whether the Emirates ID number, the digital card in the UAEICP app or a residency printout will do. Often it will. When it will not, that is the time to think about whether a faster route exists for your case.
Emirates ID processing time by application type
So how long does an Emirates ID take for each type of application? The chart below puts the published figures for each type of Emirates ID card side by side, with the fee lines that go with them. The bar is the time ICP or u.ae publishes; the text beside it is who can use it.
Planning around the Emirates ID processing time
The most useful thing to do with a published time is to work backwards from the date you need the Emirates ID card. The table assumes a clean file and uses our conservative working estimates on top of the published figures.
| You need | Start this far ahead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The Emirates ID card for a bank account or tenancy after a new job | Ask first whether the digital ID will do; otherwise allow 2 to 4 weeks from arrival | Medical, residence and biometrics come before ICP’s 5 days |
| A renewal with no gap | As soon as the six-month window opens, and no later than a month before expiry | Residence renewal, card production and courier, with room for a returned application |
| A card before travelling | At least 2 weeks before departure, or plan to travel on the digital record | A card delivered while you are abroad can be missed |
| A replacement for a lost card before a transaction | Use the urgent service at an ICP centre if the date is close | Replacement is the one card expatriates can get within 24 hours |
| Cards for a family arriving together | After the sponsor’s own residence and card are done | The sponsor applies on behalf of family members once their own residence is valid |
| A Golden residence card | Book the medical and biometrics as soon as the Golden approval arrives | The residence takes 5 days on GDRFA’s Golden cards, then the card 5 days |
Emirates ID renewal time: why earlier is always better
Nothing is gained by waiting, because the Emirates ID renewal time is the same whenever you start. The fee on ICP’s renewal card is the same whether you renew six months before expiry or on the last day, and the new card’s validity follows the renewed residence, so an early renewal does not cost you time on the card. What waiting does cost is margin: if the application is returned, or a biometrics appointment is set for a week you are away, there is no time left before the fine starts after the first month.
For residents in Dubai, renewal is really a residence renewal. The residence has its own conditions, such as valid health insurance and, for family members, the sponsor’s residence being valid, and those are the steps that most often push a renewal past the expiry date. If you want it handled end to end, that is what our Emirates ID renewal service does.
New passport or changed details
If your passport has been renewed, the residence record must be moved to the new passport before any other residence or Emirates ID transaction, or the card waits for a data mismatch to be fixed. ICP’s replacement card includes a “replacement – data update” line of AED 150 for a card reissued with changed data. The card also lists a separate fine of AED 20 a day, up to AED 1,000, for not reporting a change in personal or civil data within 30 days. Name spelling corrections have their own guide: Emirates ID name correction.
How long does an Emirates ID take in practice: five cases
These cases are built from the situations we see most often. Names and identifying details are left out, and the figures are the published ones.
1. New employee in Dubai who needs the Emirates ID card for a bank account
Position: an engineer arrives on an employment entry permit and wants a salary account opened in the first week. What decides the time: the medical (24 working hours on Dubai’s regular tier), the GDRFA residence (48 hours), biometrics, then ICP’s 5 days and the courier. What we did: booked the medical the day after arrival, submitted the residence the day the result came back, and asked the bank whether the digital Emirates ID in the UAEICP app would do once the residence was issued. It did, and the account was opened before the Emirates ID card arrived. The lesson: the card was not the bottleneck; knowing what the bank accepted was.
2. Emirates ID renewal time lost to last year’s photo
Position: a resident in Sharjah renewed on the ICP app two weeks before expiry and heard nothing for ten days. What happened: the application had been returned because the photo was identical to the one on the current card, which ICP’s renewal card does not allow. Route: new ICAO-standard photo uploaded, application resubmitted, card produced within ICP’s 5 days and delivered. The lesson: the published time only runs on an accepted application, and a renewal started earlier would have absorbed the correction without reaching the fine window.
3. Lost wallet three days before a property transfer
Position: a Dubai resident lost the Emirates ID card and had a transaction booked that required the physical card. Options: standard replacement online (5 days plus courier) or the urgent service at an ICP centre (within 24 hours, AED 150 extra, collected in person). Route: because replacement is the one urgent service open to expatriate residents under u.ae’s rule, the urgent route was used: AED 300 replacement, AED 100 smart services and AED 150 urgent, with the Emirates ID card collected from the centre. The lesson: for a replacement, urgency is officially available; for a first card or renewal it usually is not.
4. Family arriving together, with a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old
Position: the sponsor’s residence was already valid; the spouse and two children entered on family entry permits. What decided the time: each person’s medical where required, each residence approval, and biometrics for the spouse and the 16-year-old. The 12-year-old needed no fingerprints under ICP’s cards. What happened: the younger child’s card arrived first, because nothing was waiting on a biometrics slot. The lesson: in a family, the card for anyone 15 or over tends to be the last, so book their appointments first.
5. Golden residence and the 10-year Emirates ID card
Position: a property investor in Dubai received the Golden approval and asked when the 10-year card would arrive. Published times: GDRFA Golden residence 5 days, then ICP’s card 5 days. Fee lines: AED 1,100 for the Emirates ID card (AED 100 for each of ten years plus AED 100 smart services). What decided the time: the medical and biometrics, which the investor booked around a business trip. The lesson: a Golden card is no slower to print than any other card, but its residence step has a longer published time, so plan for both.
What circulates online that is not true
| Claim | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| “An Emirates ID takes 5 to 10 working days, or 3 to 5 with urgent handling.” | ICP publishes 5 days for new, renewal and replacement cards; u.ae says the urgent service is within 24 hours. |
| “Any expat can pay for a 24-hour Emirates ID.” | u.ae: for expatriate residents other than GCC nationals the urgent service applies only to a replacement. |
| “A Golden visa card takes longer to print.” | The card uses the same ICP services and the same 5 days. Only the validity and fee differ. |
| “You need a police report to replace a lost Emirates ID.” | ICP’s replacement card lists a photo, passport and proof of residence. A police report is not on the list. |
| “Start your renewal 30 days before expiry.” | Residents can renew from six months before expiry and UAE nationals from one year before (ICP renewal card). Starting earlier costs nothing. |
| “The fine starts the day after expiry.” | u.ae: the AED 20 daily fee applies if the card is renewed “after one month since expiry”, up to AED 1,000. |
| “Children need fingerprints too.” | ICP’s cards require fingerprints and a signature from those who have completed 15 years of age. |
| “A VIP fee gets the card printed faster.” | ICP publishes one faster option, the urgent service at its centres. A typing centre’s “VIP” fee buys that centre’s speed, not ICP’s. |
| “The ICP clock starts when you pay.” | For a first card, ICP requires the approvals, a “Fit” medical and biometrics for those 15 and over before the card can be completed. |
How to verify every figure in this guide
| Figure | Where to check it | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days, new Emirates ID card | ICP: New Identity Card Issuance | “Service Completion Duration”, fees, delivery and conditions |
| Emirates ID renewal time of 5 days; renewal windows; AED 20 fine lines | ICP: Identity Card Renewal | Terms for citizens, residents and GCC; fees and fines |
| 5 days, replacement; AED 300; data update AED 150 | ICP: Issue Replacement for lost / damaged ID Card | Fees and required documents |
| Emirates ID urgent service within 24 hours and who may use it | u.ae: Emirates ID | “Emirates ID within 24 hours” |
| Late renewal after one month, AED 20 a day up to AED 1,000 | u.ae: Emirates ID | “Renewing Emirates ID” |
| GDRFA residence 48 hours; Golden residence 5 days | GDRFA Dubai service cards | Completion time on each residence card |
| ICP residence 2 days (other emirates) | ICP: Issuing Residency Permit; Renewal of residency permits | Completion time |
| Digital Emirates ID in the UAEICP app and UAE PASS | The UAEICP app itself; ICP’s UAE PASS page | Your own card under documents once the record exists |
| Anything on your own file | ICP 600522222 (+971 600 522222 from abroad); GDRFA 8005111 (+971 4 313 9999) | Have the 010 application number ready |
This guide was rewritten against ICP’s service cards and u.ae. The earlier version gave unsourced ranges of 5 to 10 working days for a card and 3 to 5 days for urgent handling; ICP publishes 5 days and u.ae 24 hours for the urgent service, which for expatriate residents covers replacements only. It said a police report may be needed for a lost card, which ICP’s replacement card does not list. It advised starting a renewal 30 days before expiry, whereas residents can renew from six months before. It put the 10-year Golden card at roughly AED 1,000 to 1,200; ICP’s fee lines give AED 1,100. It said biometrics are usually not repeated at renewal; ICP’s card requires them from age 15, and ICP decides when to call you.
What we will and will not do
| We will | We will not |
|---|---|
| Check your photo, passport validity, spelling and contact details before submission | Promise a delivery date that ICP does not publish |
| Type and submit the unified application in Dubai, or the ICP application elsewhere | Sell a “VIP” Emirates ID that ICP does not offer |
| Tell you whether the urgent service is open to you before you pay | Claim we can speed up an ICP approval or security check |
| Track the Emirates ID card to courier handover and act the day an amendment is requested | Attend biometrics or the medical for you; only you can |
| Show government fees at cost and our fee in writing first | Charge you for something you can do yourself in two minutes without telling you so |
Related guides
- Emirates ID status check: every official way to track the card and what each status means.
- Emirates ID delayed after biometrics: what to check and who to contact when the card is late.
- Emirates ID biometrics appointment: who needs one, how it is booked and what to bring.
- UAE visa processing times: the published time for every residence, labour and medical step.
- Emirates ID fine: late renewal fines, exemptions and payment.
- Emirates ID and visa linking: how the card and the residence record connect.
- Emirates ID name correction: fixing names and data on the card.
- ICP smart services guide: using the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s app and website.
- Amer vs Tasheel: which typing centre handles which transaction.
How long does an Emirates ID take: frequently asked questions
How long does an Emirates ID take in 2026?
ICP publishes 5 days for a new Emirates ID, a renewal and a replacement, counted from a complete and approved application, and the card is then delivered by courier. For a new resident, the clock starts only after the residence is approved, the medical is “Fit” and anyone aged 15 or over has given biometrics. In our experience, one to two weeks from biometrics to card in hand is typical for a clean file.
Can I get my Emirates ID card in 24 hours?
u.ae says ICP’s urgent service issues cards within 24 hours. UAE nationals and GCC nationals living in the UAE can use it for new cards, renewals and replacements. Other expatriate residents can use it only for a replacement of a lost or damaged card. It costs AED 150 on top of the normal fees, must be requested at an ICP centre, and the card is collected there.
Are the 5 days working days or calendar days?
ICP’s service cards simply say “5 Days”. They do not specify working or calendar days. In practice, production and courier delivery slow down over weekends and public holidays, so we plan on working days. Treat the figure as ICP’s target for producing the card from an accepted application, not as a guaranteed delivery date to your door.
What is the Emirates ID renewal time?
ICP’s Identity Card Renewal card publishes 5 days. For residents the card is renewed with the residence, so add the residence step: 48 hours on GDRFA’s Dubai renewal cards or 2 days on ICP’s cards elsewhere. Residents can renew from six months before expiry, and UAE nationals from one year before, so there is no reason to cut it close.
How long does it take to replace a lost Emirates ID?
Five days on ICP’s standard replacement service, then courier delivery. If you go to an ICP centre and pay the AED 150 urgent fee, the card is issued within 24 hours and collected there; for expatriate residents, replacement is the one case where the urgent service applies. The replacement fee is AED 300 plus AED 100 smart services, and the new card keeps the old card’s validity.
When does the Emirates ID processing time start?
Not when you pay. For a first card, ICP needs the residence approval, a “Fit” medical result and biometrics from anyone 15 or over. A good working rule is that ICP’s 5 days start from the later of “residence approved” and “biometrics done”. If the application is returned for a correction, the clock stops until you fix it.
Does a Golden visa Emirates ID take longer?
The card itself does not: it goes through the same ICP service with the same 5-day completion time. The fee is higher because residents pay AED 100 per year of residence, so AED 1,000 for ten years plus AED 100 smart services, AED 1,100 in total. The Golden residence step is longer in Dubai, where GDRFA’s Golden cards show 5 days.
Do children need biometrics, and does that change the time?
ICP’s cards require fingerprints and a signature only from those who have completed 15 years of age. A younger child therefore usually has one step fewer, and their card can arrive before the parents’ cards. The child still needs an ICAO-standard photo and a valid residence, and if ICP sends an appointment for the child, attend it.
Can I use my Emirates ID before the card arrives?
Often, yes. The residence is valid from the day it is issued, and the UAEICP app and UAE PASS show a digital version of the Emirates ID and residency once the record exists. Whether a bank, landlord or telecom provider accepts the digital version or the ID number is their decision, so ask them before you assume you must wait for the plastic card.
Where is my Emirates ID delivered, and what if I miss the courier?
On the standard service ICP sends the Emirates ID card through its authorised courier, who contacts you on the mobile number on the application. Where a card is routed to Emirates Post, you receive an SMS naming the branch. Gulf News has reported that uncollected cards are returned to ICP after 90 days and destroyed. Keep your number current and collect promptly.
Why is my Emirates ID processing time longer than 5 days?
Usually because the clock has not started or has stopped: biometrics not done, an application returned for a photo or typing error, a medical not yet “Fit”, a pending approval, or a courier who cannot reach you. Check the status with the 010 application number. Our delayed-after-biometrics guide sets out what to check first and who to contact if it is genuinely stuck.
Is there a VIP option beyond the Emirates ID urgent service?
ICP publishes only one faster option for the card itself: the urgent service at its centres, AED 150, issued within 24 hours according to u.ae, and open to expatriate residents only for replacements. We found no official VIP tier. A typing centre’s “VIP” or “express” charge pays for that centre’s speed, not for faster production at ICP.
Is the Emirates ID processing time different in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
The Emirates ID card is the same: ICP produces it in 5 days for every emirate. The residence step differs. In Dubai, GDRFA issues the residence (48 hours on most of its cards) and ICP the card, through one unified application. In Abu Dhabi and the other emirates ICP issues both, with 2 days on its residence cards. Delivery times depend on the courier, not the emirate.
Can MIRDXB PRO get my Emirates ID faster?
We cannot change ICP’s 5 days, and nobody legitimately can. What we can do is stop the delays around it: checking the photo, spelling, passport validity and contact details before submission, sequencing the medical and biometrics, acting the same day if ICP returns the application, and using the urgent service where you are genuinely eligible. Government fees are at cost and our fee is quoted in writing.
How much does MIRDXB PRO charge to handle an Emirates ID?
Our service fee depends on the case (new card with a residence, renewal, replacement or a stuck application) and is quoted in writing before we start. Government fees are passed on at cost exactly as receipted, for example AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart services for a resident’s card. Send us the details on WhatsApp for a quote, or see our fees page for the structure.
Sorting out an Emirates ID alongside the residence, labour and family steps it depends on is what our PRO services in Dubai team handles every day.
- ICP: New Identity Card Issuance
- ICP: Identity Card Renewal
- ICP: Issue Replacement for lost / damaged ID Card
- ICP: Issuing Residency Permit
- ICP: Renewal of residency permits
- ICP: UAE PASS
- u.ae: Emirates ID (urgent service, renewal and late fees)
- u.ae: Having a baby (120 days)
- GDRFA Dubai: Issuing residence permits for the private sector
- GDRFA Dubai: Renewing a residence permit for the private sector
- GDRFA Dubai: Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members
- GDRFA Dubai: Golden residence (investors)
- Gulf News (secondary): Emirates ID replaces visa sticker, three residency proofs (2022)
- Gulf News (secondary): How to get your digital Emirates ID (2025)
- Gulf News (secondary): Uncollected Emirates ID at Emirates Post (2024)
Please note. Every processing time and fee in this guide is taken from the service card or page of the authority named next to it (ICP, GDRFA Dubai and u.ae), verified 24 September 2026. Points supported only by press reports are labelled as such. A published completion time is the authority’s target for a complete application; it is not a guarantee, and the authority’s decision and timing on your file are final. The “typical in our experience” ranges are practitioner observation, not official data. The cases are built from common situations and are illustrative, not the records of named clients. This guide is general information and not legal advice.
