Identification Services Bureau (DSI) Director Chao Wai Ieng said yesterday he expected about 50,000 local residents to renew their ID cards over the next six months.
The bureau will start issuing a new generation of smart Macau ID cards tomorrow, based on the previous renewal procedures. Chao said that residents can renew their ID cards as early as six months before the expiry date, according to the past practice, underlining that there is no need for residents to rush to renew their ID cards.
According to Chao, over 90 percent of residents can renew their ID cards through Macau’s seven 24-hour self-service centres equipped with new self-service kiosks and new self-collection document kiosks, while the remainder are first-time ID card applicants, children under the age of five on the date of issuance of their ID card, and non-permanent residents who apply for a permanent Macau ID card.
The seven self-service centres are located, respectively, in China Plaza in Nam Van district, Avenida de Sidónio Pais (near Flora Garden), Fai Tat Building in Fai Chi Kei district, the Government Services Centre in Areia Preta, and Seac Pai Van Community Complex in Coloane, as well as the Government Islands Services Centre and Lago (Lake) public housing estate in Taipa.
The renewal procedures for the new generation of smart ID cards are the same as in the past, apart from the validity period of ID photos submitted by the applicants extended from the currently six months to one year, Chao said.
In view of the fact that applications for ID card renewals are accepted only 180 days before the expiry date, senior citizens do not need to renew their permanent ID cards, unless there are special reasons such as damage, loss and the change of one’s name, Chao said, underlining that residents are not allowed to apply for a new ID card just because of personal preferences.
Senior citizens’ ID cards, i.e. those issued for residents aged at least 65, have no expiry date.
Less important information such as date of first issue, height and place of birth code will not be shown on the face of the new ID cards anymore but merely stored in the chip instead.
Meanwhile, Chao announced that an online renewal service for permanent ID cards will be launched in the first quarter of next year for permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 on the date of issue.
Chao made the remarks while attending public broadcaster TDM’s weekly Chinese-language radio phone-in programme, Ou Mun Gwong Cheuhng.
Identification Services Bureau (DSI) Director Chao Wai Ieng attends yesterday’s phone-in programme hosted by public broadcaster TDM’s Chinese-language radio station, Ou Mun Tin Toi. – Photo courtesy of TDM
