The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced the rollout of upgraded national identity cards for Ugandans who applied for renewals, with over 100,000 cards already printed and dispatched to districts across the country.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, NIRA Registrar Claire Ollama confirmed that the new cards are now ready for collection at designated pickup points. She encouraged applicants to remain patient as the distribution process unfolds.
“We have printed and sent out 100,000 ID cards, which are now available at designated pickup points. We ask Ugandans to be patient as more people will soon receive notifications with instructions on where to collect their cards,” Ollama stated.
According to NIRA, applicants will be required to collect their cards from the same locations where their biometric data was initially captured during the mass registration and renewal exercise, which began on May 27.
The newly upgraded national ID cards come with a host of advanced security enhancements aimed at bolstering identity verification and curbing forgery. Among the key features is laser engraving technology, which embeds multiple images on the card that are visible from different angles, making duplication extremely difficult.
In a further step toward modernisation, the upgraded IDs now include a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), similar to those found in international passports, which allows for quick and accurate data retrieval using electronic scanners.
Additionally, each card carries a two-dimensional (2D) barcode containing encrypted personal information. This barcode can be scanned using smartphones or specialised devices to enable fast identification, digital verification, and enhanced data protection.
The upgraded national IDs are part of NIRA’s broader strategy to digitise and strengthen Uganda’s identity management system, ensuring that citizens and legal residents have secure, verifiable credentials for public services, banking, voting, and travel.
NIRA has assured the public that further batches of printed IDs will continue to be dispatched in phases and that all applicants will be notified in due course. Citizens are advised to wait for official communication before attempting to collect their cards.
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