Bahrain: Digital Transformation Of ID Card Services Results In 95% Of Transactions Being Completed Electronically
The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) announced the completion of more than 743,000 ID Card transactions in 2023. Of these, 705,000 were processed electronically through the National Portal, bahrain.bh, smart devices, and other digital channels, making up 95% of the total. The number of eServices related to ID Card and Civil Records currently stands at 32 eServices.
Shaikh Subah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the iGA Director of Identity and Population Registry, said that ID Card and Civil Records services offered through digital channels saw a significant uptake among citizens and residents during the year, in line with the iGA’s commitment to fulfilling the government’s vision and directives to enhance user experience and satisfaction through the continued integration of innovative digital services. He noted the close follow up by His Excellency Gen. Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT) that supported such transformation in the ID Card services. This oversight has played a crucial role in leveraging technology to introduce of digital initiatives and services that make transactions easier and more convenient.
Shaikh Subah explained that this shift is in line with a growing digital culture among the public, which brings numerous benefits, saving citizens and residents time and effort, streamlining procedures, and improving quality. The ongoing digital transformation of ID services aligns with the iGA’s comprehensive digital transformation strategy, including the improvement of non-electronic services in preparation for their digital transformation. Services requiring in-person attendance accounted for less than 5% of all transactions, which mainly involved fingerprint updates, signature updates, and first-time issuances for non-Bahraini residents.
Discussing notable achievements, Shaikh Subah said that efforts by the Directorate and other iGA employees contributed to faster, more efficient, and higher quality processing of requests. These efforts involved enhancements to systems supporting ID Card and Civil Records services, such as improved data exchange between different entities and the implementation of an automated system for request processing. Investing in enhancing the administrative and technical skills of 27 Identity Directorate staff resulted in high satisfaction levels, as evident by feedback received through the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul) and other digital channels.
The total number of ID Card transactions, including issuance, renewals, and replacements, stood at 430,000 (both electronic and in-person). Additionally, there were 21,337 electronic transactions related to updating civil records data, 20,047 related to updating address information, 229,596 related to viewing and printing ID card details online, and 52,400 related to ID card declarations. Self-service eKiosk transactions totaled 36,364.
Shaikh Subah highlighted several significant developments, including the inauguration of a Remote Service Centre, eService to submit declarations on the portal, the launch of the Civil Records Update Service, and an increase in the number of self-service eKiosks. Additionally, a new system for addresses was implemented, providing residential address certificates through integration with the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture.
The Director of ID and Population Registry also underscored the role played by the Taqyeem team in enhancing the quality and efficiency of service centres and e-services. Other achievements included the completion of a National Birth System, alongside the online update for the Education Qualification service for civil records, adherence to the service level agreement (SLA), the addition of QR codes to birth certificates, and ongoing work on an Electronic Archive project for birth and death records and the Central Population Registry System (CRS2). Additionally, he highlighted the safety and security achievements of service centres, including ISO quality certification.
iGA provided a range of ID card eServices through the National Portal, bahrain.bh, including family services covering the issuance or renewal of ID cards, the replacement of lost or damaged cards, ID card issuance for domestic workers and children below 10 years, renewal and replacements for Bahraini and non-Bahraini citizens, the issuance of distinctive personal numbers, and services for updating ID card data, including residential addresses and unit and establishment numbers. Additionally, address-related services include modifying or cancelling an existing address and printing address certificates, among many others. These are alongside the self-service eKiosks, which include four services: ID card chip Updates, registration and updating information for the National Notification Service, the ID card reader service, and e-Key Advance registration.
Shaikh Subah urged individuals, government entities, and business owners to utilise the range of ID Card and Civil Record eServices available on the National Portal Bahrain.bh and through self-service eKiosks to save time and effort and help expedite transactions. Citizens and residents are also encouraged to regularly update their data to help service institutions provide quality services. For inquiries, utilise the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul), the Tawasul app, or the Government Services Contact Centre.
