Aligned with improving government services and the streamlining of bureaucracy, the two ministries in the UAE are introducing electronic integration to aim at cutting the time taken for document attestation services. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) have agreed to connect their systems, leaping forward under the ambitious Zero Government Bureaucracy Program of the UAE.
This integration creates a big positive advancement for the residents and citizens of the UAE. It ties together MoFA’s document attestation procedure with the MOI’s criminal record certificate issuance service. With a connection between these processes, the government is banking on using one digital platform to complete the three essential transactions for the populace.
Major-General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, spoke of the essence of this integration as being in line with the UAE government’s vision to improve the quality of life for Emiratis. He stated that the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme is a path-breaking one that aims at removing all unwanted administrative hurdles and enhancing the efficiency of government work.
Omar Obaid Hassan Al-Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to an interconnected and digital government system. He highlighted that this endeavour will ease the lives of all UAE citizens and residents and uphold the national broader objectives of digital transformation and world-class service delivery.
The brand-new online system slashes the time required to get the service. Attestation and criminal record certification before would take up to six days: three days in the UAE, and the other three in the Foreign Country. The new digital process has cut down the time to complete the entire turnaround to just three minutes. Furthermore, the removal of delivery fees on the service makes the system more accessible.
With sped-up service, applicants are now enabled to apply for the clear criminal record certificate via MOI’s digital platforms and opt for the MoFA attestation. The system integrates the submission of documents and payment processing so the request can move to MoFA directly for attestation. It means the entire process is performed by the user without any exit from the environment of the MOI app or website.
Of great benefit is that users can now also lodge complaints relating to attestation and services through the MOI website or app to ensure an uninterrupted customer experience. With these enhancements to its services, the UAE continues to bolster its position as a global leader in efficient and innovative government services.
