The Ministry of Housing announced tonight that the ID cards issued by NSPA can be submitted when applying for flats under the category for persons with disabilities.

Under the government’s family housing policy, applications for the specifically prioritized "Category for Persons with Disabilities" are open until 11:59 PM on the 30th of this month.

The Ministry stated that there have been several points of confusion regarding the verification of disability status.

To clarify this, the Ministry said in a social media post that the card provided by NSPA can be submitted to prove disability status. The Ministry added that a specific separate document from NSPA would not be required for this purpose.

In the "Regulation for Issuing Flats to Residents of Malé" previously published by the Housing Ministry, a specific category was dedicated to persons with disabilities. However, under the regulation at that time, applicants only had to check a box in the disability section.

In a change brought to the regulation last February, the Ministry reduced the eligibility period required for persons with disabilities to qualify for housing.

While the general residency requirement set by the government for this housing round is 15 years of continuous residence in the Greater Malé area, the amendment allows persons with disabilities who have lived in Malé continuously for five years to apply.

Furthermore, individuals who are required to travel to Malé to seek services for their disability, or those who have relocated to Malé specifically to access such services, are also eligible to submit application forms.