Manama, March 28 / BNA / The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, Sheikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, announced today, Monday, the launch of the digital residence permit and the issuance of passports through the national portal “Bahrain.bh.” He stressed that the two services aim to provide facilities Additional measures to confront developments in Bahrain under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
He explained that during a press conference in the presence of the CEO of the e-Government Authority, Muhammad Ali Al-Qaed and senior officials, to discuss the two new services. It is part of 24 NPRA initiatives approved by the Cabinet to promote the Economic Recovery Plan.
He said that nine out of 24 initiatives were completed in the first quarter of this year. He went on to say that the NPRA’s development plan aims to reduce monotonous procedures and promote digital transformation. The development and facilitation processes provide fast and high-quality services to clients to achieve Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
Meanwhile, the Leader said that the two new NPRA services mark the beginning of a series of advanced services in the next 12 months in cooperation with the e-Government Authority. He said that the services come in implementation of the decisions of the Executive Committee and the Council of Ministers to convert documents and certificates into digital copies.
He said that the launch of the electronic service reflects the follow-up of His Excellency the Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, to all the digital transformation efforts of the directorates of the Ministry of Interior. He stressed that the authority is cooperating with the directorates of the ministry to implement digital transformation processes, as 130 electronic services have been launched.
The Undersecretary said that the digital residence permits will serve residents, their families, and owners of companies and institutions. He said it will reduce paperwork, help reorganize employee tasks by 30%, and reduce visits to service centers by 50%. He also revealed the cancellation of the residence permit sticker, of which more than one million stickers are issued annually.
The service is available throughout the day via bahrain.bh, and residence permit details can be viewed anywhere through the QR code. The permit can be renewed from inside or outside Bahrain. It can also be printed using the ID number or passport.
Regarding the issuance of passports, the Undersecretary said that the service is intended for newborn citizens. The passport will be issued after the birth certificate is issued, which is also available on the Bahrain.bh app and my health app. The service targets newborns living in Bahrain and the application must be submitted by a Bahraini father who is also residing in Bahrain.
He stressed that the authority is continuing its efforts to facilitate digital transformation plans, praising the great support provided by the Minister of Interior.
AOQ