ID card issuance for citizens

Service Conditions

• A valid passport.
• A correct residential address according to the procedures and regulations.
• A recent personal photo that meets the specified requirements.
• Individuals aged 10 years and older who do not have registered biometric data (fingerprint and Signature) in the population registry system must take an appointment and appear in person. (Individuals aged 70 years or older & special needs are exempt)
• In the case of parental divorce, a custody certificate issued within six months is needed for children under 21 to confirm the children’s address. If the certificate is unavailable (from the Court of Execution), parents can sign a custody agreement declaration.
• General clearance agents or relatives submitting the application, must provide the applicant's valid original passport or issue an E-authorization or authorization issued by the Ministry of Justice.
• The special needs logo will be added to the ID card for individuals registered in the Ministry of Social Development's system.
• seniors aged 60+ and individuals with special needs are exempt from appointment booking.
• The ID card can be renewed within less than a month from the expiration date, otherwise the request will be considered as a replacement for loss/damage or change any information on card surface.

General requirements for the residential address

• The property classification must be residential, and the electricity and water account must be active in all cases.
• The head of family who has an active electricity account for a residential address must update his address with family members to the address that has the same account number.
• Individuals with a housing unit from the Ministry of Housing must be registering the same unit.
• In the case of owning a housing unit provided by the Ministry of Housing, the property ownership must be registered in the addresses department. If the unit is transferred/withdrawn, a clearance certificate issued by the legal affairs of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning must be provided.
• The residential address cannot be changed from owned property to a rented address unless there is proof of rental, sale, or an issued building or renovation permit from the municipality.
• Renting a residential address, the electricity account must be activated under the tenant or providing an address certificate issued by the municipality if the lease agreement mentioned that electricity account under landlord, ensuring that the landlord is not registered at the same address in the ID and population registry system.
• If an individual does not have a residential address and want to update his address to one of his relatives, a non-objection accommodation declaration must be signed by the owner of the address according to specific requirements.

Identity Card Photo Requirements

• The photo must be colored with a white background
• The photo must be recent and not more than six months old
• The photo must capture the head and the top of the shoulders up close, with the face occupying 70% to 80% of the image.
• The photo must be printed if applying the request through service canters
• The photo must be a digital copy aligned with specifications if applying the request through the online service.

Required Attachments

• Identity Card Photo Requirements , View Document

The required documents for submitting the request in service centers for citizens abroad by the authorized person.

• Personal photo that meets the specified requirements. , View Document
• A copy of valid passport.
• A copy of E-authorization or authorization issued by the Ministry of Justice.
• A letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required if the applicant has been outside the Kingdom of Bahrain for more than one year.

Legal Regulations

• Resolution No. (3) of 2008 and its amendments concerning the provision of additional services for the issuance of an identity card and the fees prescribed therein.
• Decision No. 16 of 2011 amending some provisions of the Executive Regulations of the Identity Card Law.

Fees

For citizens under 60 years old

• 2 BHD : First time issue\ renewal with appointment
• 4 BHD : replacement of a lost or damaged card or for changing the card with appointment
• 1 BHD : Postal fees when applying through E-services
• 10 BHD : additional charge applied for using urgent office service without appointment

Senior citizens aged 60 and above

• 1 BHD : First time issue\ renewal
• 4 BHD : replacement of a lost\damaged or for changing the card through presenting in service canter
• Free : replacement of a lost\damaged or for changing the card if apply through E-service
• 1 BHD : Postal fees when applying through E-services