The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced a nationwide mass renewal and registration exercise for national ID cards, set to begin on May 27, 2025. The process is expected to last between six and ten months and will be conducted across all districts in Uganda.
According to NIRA, the renewal process is not intended for changing or correcting personal details. The new card will retain the biographic information from the old card.
The enrolment and renewal are free of charge for Ugandan citizens who have never registered or whose ID cards have expired.
Rosemary Kisembo, NIRA’s Executive Director, stated that the new ID cards will feature enhanced biometric data, including fingerprints and iris scans, offering an additional layer of identity verification. The new cards will be valid for 10 years.
NIRA plans to register 17.2 million previously unregistered Ugandans and renew ID cards for 15.8 million citizens.
To renew a national ID, applicants will be required to present their old National ID card, or, in the case of a lost ID, a valid police letter.
For first-time registration, all Ugandan citizens aged 18 years and above must present an introduction letter signed by the LC 1 Chairperson and stamped by the Internal Security Officer (GISO/ISO). The letter must include the applicant’s name, date of birth, tribe, clan, and nationality, as well as the names, tribes, clans, nationality, and living status of the applicant’s parents.
Applicants below the age of 18 will be required to present a photocopy of at least one parent’s National ID. If both parents are deceased, a copy of the National ID of a blood relative will be required.
NIRA encourages all eligible citizens to participate in the exercise to ensure proper identification and access to national services.
