Amendments to ID Law

Source: Qatar News Agency, Al Arab Newspaper, The Peninsula

The Emir, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, issued Decree Number 13 of 2013 amending some provisions of Decree Law Number 5 of 1965 on personal identification cards, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The law authorises the Minister of Interior to decide what details are to be included in the new ID card.

The Emiri Decree Number 13, according to QNA, is “operative” (enforced) and is to be published in the official gazette.

The law amends some key provisions of the old legislation, according to which GCC citizens based in Qatar will now have ID cards that will be valid for five years. The old law clubbed GCC citizens living and working here with expatriates.

No changes have been made in the rules regulating the issuance of ID cards for expatriates. They are to be issued the ID cards for the duration of their stay in Qatar. As for Qataris, those below 16 years of age are to be issued ID cards for five years, while the duration of validity in the case of adults is to be 10 years.