President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has inaugurated the Naares portal to issue identity (ID) cards through local councils.
The first online portal to apply and issue ID cards was inaugurated in the Maldives in 2021. On March 2023, the then administration replaced the portal with an official online portal of the Department of National Registration (DNR), allowing citizens to apply for the card directly from their location. It brought a halt to the services provided by the local councils in issuing the ID cards.
Even though the DNR portal made it easier to apply for ID cards, from anywhere in the world, making the service online created challenges for the elderly. To provide convenient services to the elderly, the administration started work to further strengthen the existing relationship with the councils. As part of these efforts, the administration launched the Naares portal.
The newly launched portal is designed to streamline the processing and issuance of national identification cards. It enables individuals to monitor the status of their ID card applications and empowers island councils with the capability to issue ID cards, mirroring the process currently in place in Malé City. Highlighting that the administration aims to provide fast and efficient services, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ibrahim Ihusan noted that no ID card will be kept on pending for more than 24 hours.