Quick biometrics
Several visitors completed Emirates ID fingerprinting and related steps in under five minutes, with one reporting no waiting at all.
Al Rashidiya
The Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship office in Al Rashidiya handles Emirates ID-related services, including biometric fingerprinting. Visitors describe an organised, generally calm process that can be completed in as little as five minutes when appointments and documents are in order.
Source: Google Maps
Several visitors completed Emirates ID fingerprinting and related steps in under five minutes, with one reporting no waiting at all.
Staff are often described as professional and helpful, guiding visitors through documents, counters and each stage of the process.
One visitor found the location quiet and peaceful, while others described the process as smooth, calm and comfortable.
Reviews mention plenty of parking, including ample free parking for visitors arriving by car.
The centre has helped resolve complicated cases, including a newborn ID on hold and Emirates IDs mistakenly linked between twins.
A visitor said the office can be reached by bus or on foot after getting off at the metro station.
Bring originals. Take your original passport and Emirates ID application or typing form; one visitor also arrived with supporting visa, medical and payment documents.
Book ahead. Use a prebooked appointment where possible; a visitor who arrived at the scheduled time described the procedure as paperless and completed in five minutes.
Allow buffer. Although many visits are fast, leave extra time around your appointment because one customer waited two hours for the biometric tests.
Check timings. Verify Friday Ramadan hours before travelling rather than relying on the advertised noon opening time.
Plan transport. If you are not driving, plan for the final walk: one review says the office is reachable by bus or on foot from the metro station.
Expect queues. On normal days, one visitor saw 20–40 people ahead but said the queue moved quickly, with the wait finishing within 10–20 minutes.
Plan the visit
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Fri | 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
| Sat | Closed |
| Sun | Closed |
Not every appointment runs on time: one visitor waited from a 12:55pm appointment until tests began at 3pm.
When the reception seating was full, some visitors were asked to wait outside, including in the heat.
A customer said repeated call-centre contacts and email complaints did not resolve an ID issue that the centre later handled.
A visitor found the advertised Ramadan Friday opening time inaccurate and arrived after the doors had already closed.
One biometric visitor reported insulting language from an officer, showing that staff communication is not consistently respectful.
The Bottom Line
The Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship office in Al Rashidiya is mainly a destination for Emirates ID work, especially biometric fingerprinting. Reviews also mention Golden Visa biometrics, help with Emirates ID registration problems and resolving a newborn ID that had been placed on hold. When the appointment and paperwork line up, the visit can be remarkably short: several people finished in under five minutes, and one reported being called in with no wait.
The atmosphere is often described as calm, clean and well organised. Reception and security staff commonly receive praise for explaining the next step, directing visitors to the right section and helping with documents. There is plenty of parking, and one visitor said the office can also be reached by bus or on foot from the metro station.
Do bring the original passport and Emirates ID application or typing form, along with relevant supporting papers. Queue times vary sharply: one review describes 20–40 people ahead but a 10–20-minute wait, while another appointment ran two hours late. Check Friday Ramadan hours before setting out, and be prepared for limited seating; one visitor was asked to wait outside in the heat.
Call-centre and email support also drew criticism, so visiting the centre may be more effective for unresolved cases.