Overview

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) stands as a cornerstone institution in the United Arab Emirates, specializing in providing identification and confirmation services for individuals to federal and local government authorities and other entities. Since its establishment, ICP has been entrusted with registering personal data for the entire population, linking vital statistics, issuing Emirates ID cards, and managing the overarching policy on nationality affairs, passports, and entry and residence of foreigners in the UAE. The authority also plays a pivotal role in proposing and implementing related legislation, deciding on applications, and overseeing the issuance and renewal of passports.

Given that the majority of UAE residents consist of expatriates and foreign workers, and with Dubai hosting approximately 8.55 million international visitors from January to June 2023, the significant influx highlights the immense responsibilities undertaken by ICP. This situation underscores the need for a contemporary, technology-driven solution to effectively handle the substantial volume of documents and correspondence with external entities. The previous system employed by ICP presented operational challenges. These challenges included manual processes for defining user information and positions, limited integration readiness of CMS systems in other entities with Tarasol, and the inherent complexity of change management for users accustomed to two separate legacy systems.

Recognizing the need for a transformative approach, ICP has embraced NVSSoft’s cutting-edge solutions – the ArcMate Enterprise document management system and Tarasol correspondence management system. This collaborative venture has ushered in a new era of efficiency, security, and communication within ICP, effectively streamlining document management processes and tracking correspondence with external organizations. The Tarasol system has proven instrumental in expediting response times and enhancing transparency, while the ArcMate system has facilitated the seamless storage, retrieval, and sharing of critical documents. ICP anticipates integrating NVSSoft’s solutions across Customs and Port Security entities. This can further amplify operational capabilities, fostering a unified and efficient authority-wide operation. Let us explore the details here.

In executing their responsibilities related to identity services, customs, and border security, ICP encountered notable operational challenges with the legacy system.

Manual user data inputs caused inaccuracies and multiple reviews before correspondence completion, hampering efficiency.

Customs Management Systems (CMS) integration risks posed delays or scope limitations for the data exchange backbone.

Transition complexity from two disparate legacy systems impacted user readiness and adoption of new tools.

NVSSoft provided targeted solutions for each roadblock.

Tarasol automated user and positional data inputs directly from the HR system, eliminating manual errors to boost accuracy and reduce review cycles.

NVSSoft established detailed integration blueprints outlining scope, functionality, and timelines to align all parties pre-launch – mitigating crossover risks.

Change management plans were enacted authority-wide, with training programs preparing users for workflow, system enhancements, and gradual onboarding.

The sweeping solutions yielded tangible benefits across ICP’s operations:

  1. Tarasol and ArcMate fully covered all document and correspondence volumes and protocols – delivering on mandated requirements.
  2. Real-time integrations fostered seamless, secure data exchange with external entities to expedite responses.
  3. Automated workflows and remote access compressed previous manual efforts for greater daily efficiency.
  4. Reduced reliance on paper-based systems enabled more robust access controls and backups against potential data loss.

H.E. Juma Alkaabi, Executive Director of the IT Department at ICP, emphasized noticeable gains in efficiency, security, and external collaboration since adoption, achieving core objectives. ICP now looks to merge additional customs and security entities onto NVSSoft systems for further unified process enhancements.

The partnership with NVSSoft also future-proofed ICP against outgrowing incumbent tools unable to match their operational maturity and complex external integrations. NVSSoft’s solutions scale in lockstep with their continuously evolving data and correspondence demands to match their vision.