New way to offer services          ID card          Resident card         Birth certificate         Death certificate

The Civil Register provides data about labour market trends and the available vocational jobs. Thus, the authorities concerned will be aware of the most sought after jobs and the less desired ones. This in turn will provide an accurate proportion of the expatriates residing in the Sultanate.  Planning for the reduction of foreign labour can only achieved by recording the data of the residents and making it obligatory for them to obtain a residence card.

In the past, residents in the Sultanate without job didn’t have anything to indicate their identity, while those working for the private sector got a labour card from the Ministry of Manpower. Other government bodies issue their own labour cards.

In contrast, in the current Civil Register, the new residence card includes all residents in the Sultanate who are working or without work and who are above 15 years old. The residence card is a replacement for the labour card issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Among the many features of the identity card is an electronic chip along with photo and signature of the holder. Furthermore, every holder has a personal civil number. The labour card issued by the Ministry of Manpower can be integrated into the residence card to serve as a record for the resident’s stay in the Sultanate.  A driving license can be added to the card, which obviates the need to carry more then one card.

- Simple plastic card includes 2D barcode and  good security features.

- It is only a labour card and covers only the working residents without their families. Therefore, it does not give a true picture of residents in the Sultanate.

- It was a labor card  issuing for working- residents only and then doesn't accurately gives the  number of foreigners residing in the Sultanate.

- Plastic card covered with transparent plastic. It has a metal chip on which data of more than one individual can be stored. For protection, it is made with high security standards.

.- Contains an electronic chip consists of a micro-computer capable of processing data and storing it

.-  It is issuing for any residents residing in Oman  who is above fifteen (15) years of age

- It only provides data about the occupation of the resident excluding his educational qualification, work address, residence address, sponsor's address, information about the visa or information about the family.

- It contains important data along with the driving license data on its back..

- The electronic chip contains the same notable features on the card along with other data such as occupation, marital status, level of education, and the passport number. It also includes the picture and fingerprint of the holder.

- There is need for the applicant to be personally there to finish the application procedures. It can be done through the sponsor which makes it subject to forgery such as changing the labourer's picture or any other data.

The applicant should be there in person in order to take his digital picture, electronic fingerprint and electronic signature. This also applies to the renewal of the card. Since picture and signature are taken electronically, one cannot impersonate another person because the holder's fingerprint is stored on the electronic chip.

- Valid for one year and can be issued for two years with a difference in the dates of issue and dates of expiry in the visa and the identity card.

- For a year or two depending on the type of visa especially since the civil register is electronically linked to the systems of visa and manpower.