Complaints

In accordance with the charter and guide of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship-The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai in handling the complaints, the following objectives were defined for the Complaints System during the year 2021:

Enhancing the efficiency of resolving complaints received by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship – The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai.

Enhancing the levels of customer happiness about the complaints handling system.

Enhancing continuous improvement and development processes.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai is committed to providing high quality services to all concerned groups, in order to achieve its vision "The United Arab Emirates to be one of the best countries in the world in achieving security and safety - (Peace Gate)". It is also committed to dealing with all complaints received from customers in accordance with best practices, and considers them a key entry point for development and improvement of the processes and services provided.

This charter expresses the commitment of The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai to implement effective systems for handling with complaints and provide various mechanisms to meet the requirements of customers and ensure that their complaints are dealt with in an effective and flexible manner in line with the culture of excellence and service provision adopted by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai.

This charter also expresses the commitment of the senior management of The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship-The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai to efficiently and effectively manage the complaints system, ensure its ease of use, impartiality, maintain the confidentiality and reliability of the information provided by the customer, and the system is monitored and audited periodically in accordance with the best practices followed locally and internationally, and in accordance with relevant laws and legislation.

The system has been designed in accordance with the requirements of ISO 10002:2018 and is being continuously developed based on international best practices. The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship-The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai is keen to deal responsibly and positively with issues related to complaints, and to ensure that the root causes of problems are addressed and to ensure that they do not recur in the future.

1. Receipt of the Complaint:

The (Customer Voice Section) receives complaints through the administration's direct means (Complaint submission mechanisms) through the following channels:

• The Website - Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai.
• Customer complaints link (smart application).
• Toll Free Number (AMER Service): 8005111.
• Submitting the complaint through social media channels.
• Attending personally to the department (The main building).
• Various media means: Official newspapers and radio programs.
• AMER email: amer@gdrfad.gov.ae
• Director General email.

2. Classifying the Complaint and Determining The Jurisdiction:

The complaint is classified upon receipt based on the following:

• Urgent Complaint: The complaint related to the work of the entity and requires immediate action, such as cases related to the renewal of passports for citizens travelling with a validity of less than 6 months, and departure procedures for deaths (Cancellation of death).
• Confidential Complaint: It is related to the government entity, which cannot be followed up through the complaints portal or received by the Director General.
• Ordinary Complaint: Complaints related to a general issue that can be dealt with by one of the concerned departments in one public administration, including the quality of service information, speed of service delivery, ease of access to service, professionalism of front-line staff, ease of service completion, customer privacy, environment appearance of the service delivery and certain administrative or financial errors related to the transactions and interests of customers.
• Then the competent party for the complaint is determined and sent through the electronic complaints system to the complaints officer in the concerned party.
• At the beginning of each year, the director of each department identifies the complaints official in the department, with an alternative to him in case of his absence.
• Complaints are received through the system by the complaints officer in the concerned party, and the responsibility for resolving or denying the complaint is confirmed

• The complaints officer studies the complaint received in coordination with the director of the department concerned with the complaint and records the draft response and corrective and preventive measures in the electronic system.
• The competent party (Customer Voice Section) studies the draft response and reviews it with the concerned complaints officer if the need arises to approve the response. After approving the response, the concerned coordinator in the Customer Information Center section will notify the complainant of the solution, specifying a time limit for the complainant’s comments and providing any additional evidence, if required.
• In the event of receiving positive feedback from the complainant or not receiving any feedback within the specified period, (The system will automatically close the complaint after exceeding the time limit.)
• In the event of receiving non-positive comments and additional evidence from the complainant that calls for a re-examination of the complaint, the competent party (Customer Voice Department) shall transfer the complaint again to the concerned party, discuss the matter again with the concerned complaints officer, and inform the complainant of the results, while setting a time limit for the complainant’s comments.
• In the event of receiving negative comments that do not require a re-examination of the complaint, the competent party (Customer Information Center Section) informs the complainant of the possibility of raising the complaint as a grievance to the Director General (Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai) if he so desires, with a time limit for response. In the event that he does not wish to raise the grievance, the competent party (Information Center Section / Customer’s Voice Section) fills out the questionnaire and the complaint file is closed by the Customer’s Voice Section.

4. Revision and improvement of the system:

• The complaints officer in each department follows up the application of corrective and preventive measures and ensures that application within the specific time limit frame.
• The competent authority (Internal audit) ensures that departments implement corrective and preventive measures within the specific time limit frame.
• The competent party (Customer Voice Section) prepares quarterly reports on the received complaints, in addition to preparing quarterly reports on corrective and preventive measures and benefiting from their results.

5. Motivation

• At the end of each year, the competent party (Customer Voice Section) assigns the names of the complaints officials and the departments that were more committed to the performance indicators of the complaints system and the application of the system to the senior leadership in the administration.
• The competent party (Customer Voice Section) submits recommendations for honouring mechanisms to the higher leadership for approval, and the honour can be:

• Morally: Through certificates of thanks and appreciation.
• Financial: Providing symbolic gifts or cash.

6. Protection and Confidentiality:

• The department finds all necessary measures and precautions to ensure the confidentiality of the submitted complaints, documents and information related to them (Paper, electronic and recorded).
• Various access permissions are specified to access the electronic system.
• The confidentiality of the complainant's information and data and the appointed entity must be ensured by not allowing access to it except by authorized and competent employees whose jobs requires that.
• It must be ensured that the provision and quality of services to the complainant is not affected as a result of submitting the complaint.
• All employees concerned with the complaints system in the GDRFA shall sign a declaration of commitment to protect the information confidentiality.

7. Extent of benefit from the sent complaints:

• Creating communication channels between the customer and the department.
• The ability to communicate with the department around the clock (24/7).
• Establishing preventive and corrective measures to ensure that the issue will not occur again.
• Achieving the highest levels of customer happiness.
• Minimizing the obstacles facing the customer.
• Raising the level of management in improving its services by knowing the gaps and knowing the operational and organizational barriers that impede work and prolong the time required to provide the service.

1. Scope of work

The complaints management system is applied to customer complaints related to the services provided, which are the services of entry permits, residence permits, passports, personal status, entry and departure, follow-up of violators, and the issuance of the establishment card through the customer happiness centres of The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai and AMER centres in the Emirate of Dubai, and it does not apply to complaints received from its employees unless the employee submits that complaint as an external dealer.

2. References

The policy for handling the complaints and all documents related to it has been prepared in accordance with the terms and instructions of the standards of ISO 10002:2018.
Relevant Documents/ Evidences: Complaints handling policy.

3. Definitions and Terms

• Authority: The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai.
• Website: The website of The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (www.gdrfad.gov.ae)
• Electronic Complaints System : The electronic system concerned with receiving all complaints received by The General Directorate and submitted by external dealers.
• The Complainant: The person, company, institution or any other concerned party who submitted a complaint about the services of The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai.
• Customers: Everyone who contacts or deals directly with The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai to obtain a service or product.
• Customer happiness: The degree of customer happiness when they meet their requirements optimally.
• Feedback: Opinions and suggestions about the stages of providing the service or the way to deal with complaints.
• Dealing with complaints: a policy approach and the commitment of The Federal Authority for the identity and nationality - General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai and approved by the senior leadership in the General Directorate on dealing with complaints.
• Complaint: A written or oral statement submitted to The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship - The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai from one of its customers expressing his dissatisfaction with the procedures or transactions he submitted to obtain the service or the method of providing it.
• Urgent complaint: the complaint concerning the work and require immediate action, such as cases relating to the renewal of passports for UAE citizens and travellers that are expired less than 6 months, and departure procedures for deaths (cancellation of death) .
• Confidentiality of the complaint: It is related to government entity, which is not enabled to be followed-up complaints via complaints portal or received by the Director General.
• Ordinary complaints: They are complaints related to general topic that can be addressed through a one of the concerned departments including the quality of service information, speed of service, easy access to the service, professionally of the front line staff, easy completion of the service, privacy of the customer, the appearance environment of providing the service and certain administrative or financial errors related to the transactions and interests of customers .
• Not a Complaint: The complaints that were classified after the study as not being a complaint (suggestion, inquiry, judicial, criminal, repetitive, dispute resolution, communication, employment, related to other external entities and not within the competences of the GDRFA-Dubai, or other.

4. Application

The Authority, through its complaints system, provides the following:

• Visibility and Clarity: Providing information on how complaints are submitted and the channels used and circulating it to all the concerned parties.
• Accessibility: Providing a complaints system that is easy to use and provides all information about submitting complaints and is understandable and available in more than one language and displays all the services provided by the Authority, and appropriate communication channels are provided.
• Objectivity: The authority ensures the objectivity of solving complaints and dealing with them professionally.
• Fees: The authority provides a free of charge complaints management system.
• Response: All complaints are responded to through specific procedures, providing appropriate communication channels, and ensuring the effectiveness of the measures taken.
• Confidentiality: Maintaining the confidentiality of information by signing a undertaking document by the concerned officers to ensure confidentiality and non-disclosure.
• Focusing on the Customer: Providing appropriate procedures for receiving and handling complaints and receiving various types of feedback.
• Responsibility: The authority has identified the responsibility for taking and following up procedures and decisions related to complaints.
• Continuous Improvement: The authority has defined clear mechanisms for continuous improvement and development of the complaints system.

Relevant Documents/Evidences: Complaints Handling Manual, Customer Complaints Charter, and Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Undertaking.

5. Complaint Handling Framework

The authority has established an integrated system to deal with incoming complaints, which includes the following:

• Institutional Context: The GDRFA-Dubai takes into account all internal and external factors as well as the relevant categories associated with handling complaints and the relevant risks and opportunities when designing, developing, implementing and maintaining a complaints management system.
• Commitment: The authority is committed to implementing an effective complaints management system and providing all necessary resources for this.
• Policy: The authority has set a policy for dealing with complaints, through which it demonstrates its commitment to the complaints management system.
• Responsibilities and Powers: The authority has determined the responsibility in relation to the complaints system.

Relevant Evidence/Documents: Complaints Handling Policy, analysis of internal and external environment, the list of special needs of the concerned groups.

6. Planning and Design

The Authority has ensured the following:

• General: The authority has planned and designed effective procedures for receiving and handling complaints.
• Objectives: The authority has set measurable objectives for the complaints system for the various levels in the authority and is consistent with the complaints handling policy

• Develop a unified documented mechanism based on international best practices to effectively and efficiently deal with customer complaints and benefit from it to improve institutional performance and increase customer happiness about the authority.
• Forming a positive impression of Dubai as a distinguished global city that provides distinguished services to customers and enhances efforts aimed at raising the happiness of customers.
• Ensuring the interest and focus of government departments on serving customers, addressing their complaints, reducing their causes, and benefiting from them in development and improvement processes.

• Activities: The authority’s senior management ensures that the complaints management planning process is implemented to ensure increased customer happiness and is integrated with ISO 10002:2018 procedures.
• Resources: Providing all the necessary resources to implement the system, including complaints staff, providing them with the necessary training, a complaints system, computers, Etc.

Relevant Evidence / Documents: Complaints Objectives, Complaints Management System Manual

7. Operation and Management of the Complaints System

The Authority has ensured the following:

• Communication: The authority provides information electronically through the website, the electronic complaints system, and publications such as billboards, publications, and brochures about the complaints system, including places, methods of submission, times for response and everything related to the system.
• Receiving and following up on the complaint: The complaint is recorded with all the information related to it and given a serial number, description of the complaint, the required solution, the period required to respond to the complaint and others, and it is followed up and the customer is notified of receipt of the complaint. Complaints are categorized into 8 categories:

• The speed of service provided.
• Ease of access to the service.
• Professionalism of the front line staff.
• Ease of completing the service.
• Quality of service information.
• Customer privacy.
• The environment appearance of the service delivery.
• Certain administrative or financial errors related to the transactions and interests of customers.

• Study and analysis of the complaint: After receiving the complaints, the authority performs an initial evaluation of them and makes sure that they are real complaints, and then they are investigated, the responsible parties are identified, appropriate measures are taken, and the customers are informed of the measures taken and how happy they are about them, and the complaint is closed in case of ensuring the effectiveness of the measures taken.
  
  Relevant Documents/ Evidences: Complaint Handling Manual.

8. Maintenance and Improvement

The authority has done the following to ensure the maintenance of the complaints system and the continuous improvement and development of it:

• Collecting information: The authority collects all information related to the complaints management system and its performance indicators.
• Complaints Analysis and Evaluation: Information and complaints are categorized and analysed, styled and evaluated for their accuracy.
• Happiness about the complaints system: The authority periodically measures the extent of happiness with the complaints management system through questionnaires.
• Monitoring the complaints system: The authority has set performance indicators to follow up and measure the system, and these are measured and information is analysed periodically.
• Auditing the complaints system: The complaints system is audited internally to ensure the effectiveness of the system through ISO 9001 procedures.
• Administrative review of the complaints system: Administrative review meetings are held through review meetings for ISO 9001 procedures, and periodically includes the status of complaints and actions taken.
• Continuous Improvement: Taking appropriate corrective and preventive measures to ensure the effectiveness of the complaints management system.

Relevant Documents/ Evidences: Customer happiness studies, internal audit, management review, performance indicators.