The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) had moved to dispel public confusion surrounding the validity of the current national ID cards as the country embarks on a massive enrollment and renewal exercise to introduce new, high-tech identification documents.
The clarification was crucial as the first batch of IDs, originally issued between 2014 and 2015 with a 10-year lifespan, were scheduled to begin expiring in late 2024 and mid-2025.
The Key Clarification: One-Year Extension
The most significant update was the government’s decision to grant a one-year extension to the validity of all National IDs that were due to expire during the mass registration period.
- Legal Basis: The extension was legally formalized through a Statutory Instrument (No. 67 of 2024) issued by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, in August 2024.
- Validity: This meant that an ID card that had reached its original 10-year expiry date will remain valid for an additional year from the date of expiry.
- Purpose: The extension was intended to allow citizens to continue accessing essential government services, financial transactions, and other services without interruption while they wait for the new cards to be processed under the mass renewal program, which officially began on May 27, 2025.
What Citizens Needed to Know
NIRA emphasized several key points regarding the transition:
| Feature | Old Card Status During Rollout | New Card Details |
| National ID Number(NIN) | Does Not Expire. The NIN remains permanent and unchanged, even if the physical card expires. | The same NIN will be printed on the new card. |
| Physical Card | Valid for 11 years. The one-year extension serves as a provisional measure. | The new card will feature enhanced security (e.g., iris biometrics, ghost images, and a new barcode). |
| Citizenship | Never Expires. Expiry of the card does not affect a person’s citizenship status. | The card is renewed primarily to update biometrics (like facial appearance) and incorporate new security technology. |
| Renewal Fee | Renewal Is Free Of Charge. This applies to all cards that expired or are expiring within the renewal window. | A fee is only charged for correcting particulars (Shs200,000) or replacing a lost ID (Shs50,000). |
| Travel | The extended validity may pose challenges for cross-border travel within the East African Community (EAC). The Ministry of Internal Affairs is engaging with EAC member states to secure acceptance of the extended-validity cards during this period. | The new cards are being issued with updated security features to meet international travel standards. |
The Drive for New Cards
The mass renewal and enrollment exercise targets over 33 million Ugandans, including approximately 15.8 million whose IDs are expiring, and 17.2 million unregistered citizens (new adults and children).6 The exercise is being conducted at the parish level across all 146 districts, allowing for the capture of new biometrics, including the iris, as part of the security upgrade.7
NIRA urges all eligible citizens to participate in the ongoing exercise to ensure they have the new, up-to-date IDs, especially ahead of the 2026 general elections.
