Online portal to process passports, IDs for all citizens

AMMAN — The government is expected to launch a smart interactive portal before the end of the year to enable citizens to conduct transactions such as renewing passports and paying traffic tickets, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT).

Under the scheme, each citizen will have a unique user ID and a password to access the portal, ICT Minister Azzam Sleit recently told The Jordan Times.

The portal will show outstanding income tax dues, property tax, water and electricity bills, and the user can settle such payments online, Sleit said.

Users of the portal can renew their driving licence and submit a request for renewing their passport, identification card or birth certificate. They can also choose the address for the documents to be sent, the minister said, adding that users can pay the required fees electronically.

“The tender for the project will be floated in the second quarter of this year, and the portal is expected to be operational before the end of 2014,” he noted.

“The project is part of the government’s efforts to integrate technology into the lives of Jordanians. It will provide convenience to citizens and reduce their costs,” Sleit noted.

Reviewing the latest project in the field of integrating technology in government services, he announced that MoICT and Microsoft Jordan have co-launched an Enterprise Project Management (EPM) platform that enables government entities across the Kingdom to effectively manage and measure the performance of sector projects and strategic initiatives.

The EPM platform provides relevant ministry departments with an effective tool to centrally manage and monitor the progress of national projects and initiatives within various sectors, subsequently enhancing efficiency, productivity and project governance, according to Sleit.

Currently in its pilot phase, the EPM platform is fully funded by Microsoft Jordan.

In addition to installing the platform at several government entities, Microsoft Jordan also trained employees on how to use it in collaboration with Para Solutions.