By Wakibi Iddi
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has commenced the issuance of identification cards to legally resident foreign nationals in Uganda, marking a significant step towards strengthening identification and access to services for non-citizens.
The exercise officially began on Thursday at NIRA offices along Lumumba Avenue in Kampala, where some of the first foreign nationals who had completed the registration process received their identification cards.
NIRA spokesperson, Osborn Mushabe, said the initiative is part of the authority’s mandate to register legally resident foreign nationals and provide them with a standard identification document for accessing services in Uganda.
“As NIRA, we also have a mandate to register aliens who are legally resident in Uganda. We kickstarted registration for aliens on 10th June this year, and today we are glad to inform the public that we are going to be issuing out our first Alien ID,” Mushabe said.
He explained that the identification card will enable foreign nationals to access several essential services, including SIM card registration, opening bank accounts and registering businesses.
“Aliens can access all the services. Like Ugandans, they can register SIM cards with the telecoms. They can register and get bank accounts. They can even start-up businesses and so on, but they are not allowed to vote,” he said.
NIRA Registrar Claire Ollama said the Alien Identification Card has distinct colours and security features that differentiate it from the Ugandan national identity card.
While the Ugandan national ID has a pinkish-purple appearance, the Alien ID is greenish-blue. The card also contains a ghost image, QR code and barcode as additional security features.
“For the foreigner, their ghost image in the ID is inside the global icon, while, as citizens, our image falls on the Ugandan map. The citizen has a NIN, which refers to a National Identification Number, while foreigners have an Alien Identification Number,” Ollama explained.
She added that unlike the national ID, which does not have an expiry date, the Alien ID is linked to the period a foreign national is legally permitted to stay in Uganda.
“A foreigner whose work permit or other legal status is extended by DCIC will have their Alien ID renewed accordingly,” she said.
According to NIRA, registration is available at its offices along Lumumba Avenue and in Kololo, as well as designated registration centres, including desks at the Indian Association and offices of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) upcountry.
By Thursday morning, NIRA had registered 1,875 foreign nationals, with approximately 1,500 identification cards ready for collection.
However, Ollama clarified that not every foreign national is required to obtain the card. Diplomats, their dependants and refugees are exempted from the registration requirement.
The Alien ID costs US$100, payable through the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
One of the beneficiaries, Lukas Hack Chul, a German national working with Bethesda Medical Centre Uganda, welcomed the development, saying the card would enhance his security and provide greater confidence while working in the country.
“As a foreigner here in Uganda, my security is one step higher, and then I can work in my place with a clear conscience,” Chul said.
NIRA said the new card is expected to become the principal identification document for legally resident foreign nationals as Uganda moves towards a more integrated service-identification system.