National ID card printing services expand to B. Atoll

National identity card printing services expanded to B. Atoll on Wednesday, with the services now available from two islands in the region; Eydhafushi and Dhuvaafaru.

ID card printing service was previously provided solely from the Department of National Registration (DNR) headquarters in the Velana Building of Male’ City. It is a lengthy process for people residing outside Male’, as they wait for the DNR to deliver their ID cards to the respective atoll council, and for the atoll council to send it to their local council.

The services were introduced in B. Atoll as part of a project launched last year to expand national ID card and passport services to all atolls by the end of November this year.

Speaking to Sun on Wednesday afternoon, Dharavandhoo Council’s president Ali Sameeh the expansion of ID card printing services to B. Atoll offers a huge relief for the people living in the region, who previously had to wait days for their ID cards.

“It previously took a long time. The wait time will be cut considerably. People cannot access any service without their ID card. Getting ID cards has now become a whole lot easier,” he said.

Having ID card printing service available from the capital or an island of each atoll is one of President Muizzu’s electoral pledges.