UAE ID cards to be used for e-payments?

The UAE ID/e-payment card

UAE citizens would have a national identity card might soon be able to use them to make electronic payments if the banking system accepts a proposal from Gamalto, the Dutch company that makes them.

ID cards are constantly making the press in Europe, but the scheme has been in the UAE for a while now. The scheme would almost be like being able to pay for items with your driving licence in this country.

"We have proposed introduction of an e-purse facility on the UAE national identity card," Pierre Servettaz, General Manager of Gamelto Middle East, told Emirates Business.

"Gemalto has proposed adding two other new facilities - an e-voting checking scheme and e-government applications. We have just completed an e-purse system for Oman national identity card in collaboration with Royal Oman Police and BankMuscat.

"We are discussing these proposals with the UAE authorities and the idea is currently under serious consideration. Sooner or later UAE residents will be able to make payments using their national ID cards."

A good idea in the Age of Identity Theft?

Gamalto, who has been contracted to supply smart ID cards to the UAE and other five Gulf Cooperation Council countries, believes that in the long term the idea could spread to other countries in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia.

"We have issued more than two million cards in the UAE for the Emirates Identity Authority. A few million more need to be issued to cover all the nationals and expatriate residents to complete the project. The UAE project has been delayed due to limited enrolment capacity, but it will be speeded up."

But what about security concerns? In an age filled with increasing numbers of identity theft cases, is the idea of having all your personal details coupled with financial payment a good idea?

"The card contains many security features, including the user's fingerprints, it cannot be easily tampered with," said Servettaz. "Most European countries use Gemalto smart cards for national identification."

In the UAE the cards will eventually replace other means of establishing identity such as labour cards, driving licences and, for UAE nationals, passports. Some countries have even contemplated using the ID cards for voting in General Elections.

"The ID cards can be used to check the credentials of voters in an electronic voting system. Using a workstation linked to the identity authority through authentication websites, voter details can be verified, and anyone who comes back to vote for a second time can be identified. This way chances of electoral fraud can be eliminated."

Many European countries, including the UK, have considered a similar scheme, though concerns about the project have slowed progress.

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: