IDENTITY cards will no longer be issued by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) from Wednesday.

The LMRA has processed part of the Central Population Register (CPR) services for the past three months, but is now handing responsibility for CPR cards back over to the Central Informatics Organisation (CIO).

It had been issuing new CPR cards to people who it also issued with work visas, including those changing jobs, to cut waiting lists.

“The processing of the services was done on working days between 2pm and 8pm,” said LMRA e-services and public relations manager Waheed Al Balushi.”However, there was some confusion and we thought it was better that the CIO handles it.

“The CPR office in Hoora will now issue all CPR cards for expatriates.

The office will work in two shifts to avoid delays in issuing CPR cards, 1,100 of which are issued to expatriates every day.

Smart cards for Bahrainis are issued at the CIO headquarters in Isa Town. Meanwhile, the LMRA has set up an online help desk for people having problems using its website www.lmra.bh. It has been receiving an average of 800 queries daily since its launch.