IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Through Hukoomi, citizens and residents can complete a range of important services — from applying for passports and identification cards to obtaining exit permits — from the comfort of a home computer or mobile device now and self-service kiosks later.

“This allows people to bypass paperwork and long waits at government offices and saves everyone time, energy, and other resources,” ictQATAR said in its annual report.

Following the success of its Amer self-service kiosks, which provide customers with prompt updates about the visa services and status round the clock, the General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) has set up more booths in different locations around the city.

Amer self-service booths are now available at Dubai International Airport, Ministry of Labour office, Sharjah Airport, the GDRFA-Dubai headquarters and its external offices.

According to a statement sent by the civic body on Sunday, this step has been taken to provide customer-centric services by providing them access to the kiosks in places that are easier for them to visit.

The new digital kiosks will enable customers to process their transactions through self-service interactive screens built at multi-faceted high technical specifications capable of facilitating transactions quickly.

According to a press release, the facility launched today at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), will be available at six DNRD kiosks strategically placed around Dubai, including Dubai Terminal 2, The Ministry of Labour and the Twar Center, with plans for additional machines to be placed in the city's malls in the future.

Anticipating a flood of around 90 million visitors in another two years, the Dubai immigration authorities are adopting bold technology-intensive measures to successfully manage the rush.

In a recent interaction with the media, Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director-General of the Immigration Department's e-services sector, said a pilot project to establish “smart electronic gates” at the airport was being undertaken on a war footing. “Once it is validated, the e-gate will enable a passenger to clear immigration in 14 seconds flat,” he claimed. Officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said a sharp escalation in passenger inflow was expected once a dedicated terminal for the giant A380 aircraft was completed in 2013.

The General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) has started providing the public with easy and quick services through an Amer self-services kiosk, that provides customers with prompt GDRFA-related enquiries and services around the clock.

The kiosks are spread in different areas and places allowing customers to follow up on the processing of their transactions. The Director General of GDRFA-Dubai, Maj Gen Mohammed Ahmad Al Marri, told the media that the kiosks “allow customers to perform a variety of operations without the need to visit GDRFA’s counters including applying for and enquiring about visa status as well as printing residence visa and other types of visas.

Users can check status or print residency/visit visas among other services

In a bid to promote self-service, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) has installed several electronic kiosks in new locations.

The Amer self-service kiosk allows customers to access the GDRFA’s e-services such as conducting residency and entry transactions and inquiring about sponsorship files.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out self-service kiosks across the city that allow residents to renew their driving licenses in just three minutes. A video recently showcased a Dubai resident using one of these kiosks, with the entire renewal process completed quickly and seamlessly. The initiative offers a modern solution to save time and cut down on queues at RTA centers.

Multiple Services, All in One Place

The RTA has installed 32 of these kiosks in 21 locations, including the main RTA headquarters, customer happiness centers, and high-traffic areas like Tasjeel in Al Barsha. The kiosks provide around-the-clock access to 28 different digital services beyond just license renewals, including vehicle licensing, driver services, parking, and even nol card management.

The Ministry informs that installation of electronic kiosks for test operation was commenced in June in several agencies.

The mobile portal and common service centres (CSCs) are the latest channels being used to provide government services to the public.

They were launched by Cabinet Affairs Minister and Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology member Shaikh Ahmed bin Ateyatala Al Khalifa and e-Government Authority (eGA) chief executive officer Mohammed Al Qaed yesterday.

The eKiosk provides users the opportunity to carry out their electronic transactions smoothly and contributes to closing the gap between the public and the government services to strengthen the concept of quality and integrity in all the services provided. The 35 eKiosks are distributed in different locations in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Supreme Committee of Information and Communication Technology (SCICT) approved a proposal to establish a new company to manage the project.

The company will be equally owned by the government and a large international company.

Gitex 2011 will run from October 9 to 13 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

This came as Shaikh Ahmed patronised the inauguration ceremony held at Moda Mall in the presence of the e-Government Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammed Ali Al Qaed and Credit Max CEO Mohammed Malik. The move is in line with the e-government Authority's vision aiming to provide e-services through different channels, as outlined by the Economic Vision for Bahrain, 2030, said Shaikh Ahmed.

eGA chief executive officer Mohammed Al Qaed and CrediMax chief executive Mohammed Malik signed the agreement.

Launching the eServices Centers and the eKiosks come as part of the service delivery channels for the eGovernment, beside the other channels: eGovernment Portal, Mobile Gateway, and National Contact Center), where users can benefit from the eservices through the channels at anytime and anywhere.

As stipulated by the strategy, the eGovernment Authority will offer 200 basic government services to the public through 4 channels – eGovernment National Portal, Mobile Portal, Common Service Centers and the National Call Center. To date, 90 eServices are available through the National Portal (www.bahrain.bh) with the rest set to launch at various stages until the end of 2010.

Bahrain’s eGovernment Authority (eGA) in partnership with CrediMax has announced plans to remodel all 34 eKiosks located at various parts of Bahrain in an aim to introduce state-of-the-art kiosks better suited to the needs of citizens.

The kiosks are expected to be available to the public by September, will ensure a better developed user-experience and seamless payment transactions for eGovernment services made through credit and debit cards, said a statement from the company.

The payment eservices are provided in collaboration with the governmental and private entities, through the eGovernment various channels: National Portal (Bahrain.bh), Mobile Gateway (bahrain.bh/mobile), eKiosks, eService Centers, and Mobile Applications.

The service will enable customers to obtain details of their bill payment, recharge their lines, or receive a copy of paid balance via email.

The move comes as part of VIVA Bahrain's desire to increase the available payment channels and promote postpaid billing services, including mobile phones, broadband and the Internet.