The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) has implemented 15 development projects under the UAE Zero Bureaucracy Program, aiming to remove administrative barriers and deliver faster, smarter services to citizens, residents, visitors and the business community.
UAE Zero Bureaucracy Program advances integrated services
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director-General of ICP, said the projects form part of the second cycle of the Zero Bureaucracy Government Programme and mark a shift from operational excellence to proactive leadership. The Authority has moved away from standalone services towards integrated service bundles, and from a waiting-based model to a proactive delivery model that anticipates user needs.
The programme consolidates services that were previously separate, enabling single transactional experiences for common life events. Examples include the combined renewal of passports and Emirates IDs, and a Resident Family Package that proactively serves household needs. Integration with federal and local partners, and the private sector, allows automatic retrieval and exchange of customer data to shorten journeys and reduce duplication.
ICP’s portfolio includes projects such as Facial Recognition for Entities (UAEKYC), the Proactive UAE Passport System, the National Enablement and Government Data Platform, and the “Taqdeer” Package for senior citizens and people of determination in partnership with the Ministry of Community Empowerment. Other measures cover investor journey services, tourist visa issuance with a digital health insurance system for visitors, and the Smart Travel Project.
Border and customs operations are also being modernised. The Single-Window Land Ports Project and Smart Electronic Gates at Al Ghuwaifat Land Port, together with the Integrated Smart Customs System and the Smart Refund System for service fees, aim to reduce delays and streamline cross-border movement. The Manfdh WAM Border Crossing initiative introduces a unified portal for land port transactions.
ICP has placed particular emphasis on leveraging artificial intelligence and biometric technologies to improve verification and reduce error rates. Proactive processes will enable automatic medical screening, biometric capture, and unified verification across government entities. The Family Data Update Project, delivered in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, will update civil status changes such as marriage and divorce without requiring repeated applications.
Major General Al Khaili said the reforms reduce operational costs and human effort while raising customer satisfaction. By consolidating multiple requests into single applications and enabling seamless intergovernmental digital integration, ICP expects shorter turnaround times and improved performance on government service indicators.
The projects target a wide range of groups, including citizens, residents, entrepreneurs, investors, visitors and domestic workers, and cover sectors such as investment, tourism, legislation, employment, family affairs, civil status and border management. Several initiatives also embody social responsibility values by delivering services proactively to social support beneficiaries at their place of residence, ensuring people receive assistance automatically without submitting applications.
By streamlining identity, residency and customs services, ICP’s second-cycle projects aim to strengthen the UAE’s competitiveness and make public services more accessible and efficient. The Authority says the reforms will continue to evolve as electronic integration with partner entities expands and new technologies are adopted to shorten customer journeys and enhance accuracy.
Key Takeaways:
- UAE Zero Bureaucracy Program delivers 15 projects to streamline identity, passport, customs and visa services.
- Integrated service bundles and proactive workflows reduce processing time and duplication.
- Initiatives use facial recognition, AI and electronic data exchange to improve accuracy and customer experience.
- Projects target citizens, residents, visitors, investors and domestic workers to boost government performance and quality of life.
