This is what will happen to your old national ID

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has clarified how old National ID cards will be handled as Ugandans begin receiving the new high-tech IDs.

NIRA Registrar Claire Olama assured the public that old cards will not be taken away.

They will stay valid personal documents even after being marked as expired for administrative purposes.

“Old National IDs remain your personal documents and will not be taken away,” Olama said. “They will only be marked administratively to show they are expired, but the information on them will still be readable.”

She urged people to carry their old cards when picking up their new ones because they are needed for verification.

“We must look at your old card to confirm your identity. Once we see that your new card is ready, you provide your fingerprints or iris scan, and then we issue your new National ID,” she said.

After verification, the old card is returned with a single punch mark on a blank corner. The mark invalidates the card but leaves all key details readable.

Olama stressed that the punch should not damage the barcode since the old card is still needed for record purposes.

In the end, each person leaves with two cards, the new National ID and the old one marked as expired but still readable.

Olama also asked the public to remain calm and orderly at collection centres.

“Happy card picking. I hope we will be people of decorum. We will line up, we will be patient, and as NIRA, we promise that everyone who asks will get feedback. We shall all get national IDs,” she said.

The rollout of the new generation National IDs is ongoing at designated collection points across Uganda.