Details of the new housing eServices on the National Portal bahrain.bh were announced by the Ministry of Housing and the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA). Launched by the Minister of Housing, HE Eng. Basim bin Yacob Al Hamar on Sunday, they include: ‘Apply for Housing Request’, ‘Request Status Enquiry’, ‘Update Contact Details and IBAN’, ‘Apply for Mazaya Request’, and ‘Apply for Loan Request’.
iGA Deputy CE of eTransformation, Dr. Zakareya Ahmed AlKhajah welcomed the attention given by HE the Minister to digital transformation and the deployment of advanced technologies to improve the ministry’s services. He commended the specialist teams at the ministry for their hard work in supporting the launch of the latest batch of eServices, which is part of the first phase of its digital transformation plan. He praised the ministry’s cooperation with the iGA throughout the study and evaluation of period prior to the launch. This is in line and with the vision of the Kingdom’s leadership and government to adopt advanced technologies and accelerating the pace of digital transformation, and with the ministry’s commitment to streamline its offerings.
AlKhajah said that the commitment shown by the ministry’s specialist teams also supports the iGA’s strategy and goals, which center on the digital transformation of government services using different electronic channels. Citizens who meet eligibility criteria can avail of the eServices via the National Portal, bahrain.bh. They should select Ministry of Housing services, and then log in using their eKey account. The services can also be accessed via the ministry’s official website, housing.gov.bh which redirects to the National Portal.
Ministry of Housing Assistant Undersecretary for Policies & Housing Services, Dr. Khalid Al Haidan said that the ‘Apply for Housing Request’ service allows citizens to submit their applications for new housing units or allocations of land by the ministry so individual can to build their own units at their expense after receiving the land. It also allows them to request ownership of apartments in a ministry’s housing project building, provided that the applicant is a Bahraini between 21 and 50 years at the time of submission.
The housing requests can be availed of by several types of individuals, Category 1 being husbands, wives, and children; Category 2 covering parents living with one or more Bahraini sons who are minors, and Bahraini wives of expatriates who have one Bahraini national son who is a minor, and Category 3 consisting of sons who are single, 21 years of age, and living with one or both of their Bahraini parents.
The ‘Request Status Enquiry’ service offers individuals the chance to receive the latest updates on their applications, while the ‘Update Contact and IBAN bank Details’ is available for those who have already submitted housing requests.
Mr. Al Haidan stated that the ‘Apply for Mazaya Request’ service allows citizens to apply for the social housing financing scheme, ‘Mazaya’, which secures bank financing for beneficiaries in exchange for 25% of their monthly income as installments. The government, through the ministry, takes care of the remaining financial support covering the rest of the monthly bank installments. Applicants must be Bahraini and between 21 and 35 years of age at the time of submission.
The ‘Apply for Loan Request’ service allows citizens to request one of several types of financings offered by the ministry, including purchase of housing units or apartments, construction for landowners, and reconstruction. The eligibility criteria for purchase and construction financing is that applicants must be Bahraini between 21 and 50 years of age at time of submission, and not exceeding 60 years of age at time of submission for reconstruction financing. Beneficiaries of the second phase of housing services are the same ones benefiting from housing requests, which include all 3 categories.