Nida introduces online application for national IDs

Dar es Salaam. The National Identification Authority (Nida) has introduced an online registration system that will, among other things, allow qualified persons to register for National Identification Cards (IDs) by filling out an online form from wherever they are.

Head of Nida’s Communications Department Geofrey Tengeneza told media yesterday that the method intends to reduce the hassle for national identity card applicants, who now have to congregate at Nida offices to obtain application forms.

He said with the new system, filling out forms and uploading files will be possible from anywhere using a device capable of accessing the Internet, such as a smartphone, via eonline.nida.go.tz.

“After completing the form, the applicant must print it and send it to the local government where he lives to confirm his residency, and then he must send his form to the Nida office in the district where he lives with hard copies of the attachments he uploaded to the system to complete the procedure,” he explained.

Until now, 23 million individuals have registered with the authority, with 19.845 million ID numbers issued so far, while Nida has created at least 11.187 million IDs compared to the entire number of registered applications.

So far, 9.624 million ID cards have been issued to owners. This means that almost 2 million IDs have not been picked up by owners.

For her part, Ms Julien Mafuru, the Registration and Identification manager at Nida, stated that the technology will save the authority time in registering the applicant’s information because the procedure will be completed by the applicant.

“In addition to streamlining the registration procedure for citizens and resident foreigners, we will cut the expenses associated with printing registration forms and information processing,” she said.

Furthermore, she said that online registration would boost the number of individuals who register since the service will be available everywhere rather than having to come to the Nida office to follow the service.

Meanwhile, the identification authority stated that the renewal of identity cards that would expire in January 2023 will be done as usual.

The identity cards issued for the first time in 2013 will expire by January 2023, therefore holders of those cards will be obliged to update them, including filling in vital information that may have changed during the 10-year term.

“The online registration procedure will apply to those who have never had identification cards and for those who have an identification card that will expire, they will have to visit our offices within the district of residency to provide new information and also have their photos taken again because we believe that 10 years is a long time so people do change,” said Mr Tengeneza.

He stated that those who have lost their identity cards will not be required to fill out the form online because their information is still in the system, and that after submitting the lost report, they will be required to pick up their new identity cards at the local government authorities within a short time.