Kampala – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced changes to its fees structure in a move aimed at improving service delivery and enhancing efficiency.
According to Osborn Mushabe, NIRA spokesperson, some of the changes have already taken effect, while others will be implemented in the coming days.
Addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday, Mushabe said Registration for a national ID remains free of charge for first-time citizens. However, replacement of a lost national ID will cost 50,000 shillings, while replacement of a damaged ID will cost 200,000 shillings. “The procedure is very simple, you will get a police letter which is free of charge then you pay 50,000 in the bank, you proceed to the nearest NIRA office for replacement,” Mushabe explained.
NIRA has also introduced new fees for changing particulars on national IDs. Citizens who wish to change their age, name, or other details will be required to pay 200,000 shillings, up from the initial 50,000 shillings. “We have had incidents of people changing details like four times in a year. To cure that we are increasing the fees so that you only change particulars when you deem it’s right,” Mushabe said.
In cases where errors were made by NIRA officers, citizens will not be required to pay any fees to correct the mistakes. Instead, NIRA will provide an exception letter, allowing citizens to make the necessary changes free of charge. “If the error was committed by a NIRA officer you won’t be paying a single coin so we give you an exception letter and you will be able to change particulars on the national ID for free,” Mushabe noted.
Renewal of national IDs, which has not yet commenced, will be free of charge. Citizens who have lost their IDs will also be able to obtain new ones free of charge during the renewal process.
Additionally, NIRA will be introducing express services for national IDs, which will attract a fee of 300,000 shillings. However, this service has not yet commenced and will be announced in due course.
Regarding birth certificates, Mushabe announced that registration of a child born within six months of birth is free of charge. However, registration between seven months to six years will attract a fee of 10,000 shillings, while registration between seven to eight years will cost 20,000 shillings. Citizens above 18 years will be required to pay 50,000 shillings.
Death certificates will be issued free of charge if registered within one year of the deceased’s passing. “When people lose their loved ones, they tend to take long to register the death and you will find us still having them in the voters’ register or in government programs when someone is already deceased and then you will be blaming government for not erasing such people from the voters’ register yet it’s you the declarant to inform us of the death of your loved ones,” Mushabe said.
Foreigners residing in Uganda will be required to pay $100 for alien IDs.
Mushabe said all payments are made through any bank to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) account.
If replacement of a damaged ID is at ugx 200,000 and a lost one at ugx 50,000 then it is better you tell them that it is lost even if it is damaged.