Ugandans living abroad are being called upon to prepare early for the upcoming National Identification registration and renewal tour that will take place in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has emphasized the importance of pre-applying through its online portal in order to streamline the process and reduce wait times.
Speaking on the eligibility requirements, NIRA spokesperson Ollama clarified that only Ugandans who retain their citizenship or hold dual citizenship will be eligible for services during the tour.
“If you are a Ugandan who’s living in America and you have chosen to obtain American citizenship, please when we come, this is not your service,” Ollama explained.
He further elaborated, “Whereas you have an ID you might have acquired before you traveled, it means that you gave up your Ugandan citizenship.”
Ollama stressed that the services are intended solely for Ugandans who still hold Ugandan passports or have legally acquired dual citizenship.
“We will only work on people who are living there and therefore still identify as Ugandans and are traveling purely on Ugandan passports and those who have dual citizenship,” he stated.
“So people who are living abroad and you don’t have Dual citizenship, it means that you relinquished \[your Ugandan citizenship],” he added.
The NIRA tour will begin in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from August 18 to August 30.
From August 18 to 24, services will be offered at the Uganda Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
From August 25 to 27, the team will operate in Sharjah.
From August 28 to 30, they will be in Ras Al-Khaimah.
“For those living in the UAE, please do not panic,” Ollama reassured.
He explained that the tour is designed to prevent overcrowding and bring services closer to Ugandans in their respective regions.
“The reason NIRA is spreading out is to avoid congestion, but also, as much as possible, to reach you where you are,” he said.
In Qatar, services will be provided at the Uganda Embassy in Doha from August 14 to 17.
In the United Kingdom, the team will be stationed at the Uganda High Commission in London from September 14 to 21.
In the United States, the schedule is as follows:
- New York: September 25
- Washington, D.C.: September 26 to 28
- New Orleans: September 29 to 31
“These are the confirmed dates, and we want to implore the Ugandans living there to begin to have their paperwork ready by pre-applying,” Ollama urged.
He emphasized that beginning the application process online now will help reduce delays during physical appointments.
“The link is available now on our portal. So, when we come to you, the process takes a shorter time,” he concluded.
NIRA’s outreach aims to make essential national identification services more accessible to Ugandans living in the diaspora while ensuring that proper citizenship requirements are observed.
