All Dubai airports to get smart gates

Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 and 2, and the newly-opened Al Maktoum International Airport will have smart gates installed by the year-end, a government official told ‘Emirates 24|7’.

“We are working on installing smart gates at Terminal 1, 2 and Al Maktoum International Airport before end of the year,” said Lieutenant Abdul Jabbar Ahmed, Head of Smart Solutions Department, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai.

Currently, Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 has 28 smart gates.

“Terminal 1 will have 16 smart gates, while terminal 2 will have four. We will install four smart gates at the Al Maktoum International Airport for now,” Ahmed disclosed.

The smart gate is an automated, secure and convenient self-service alternative to the conventional border control process through immigration officers. The Emirati-built smart gate identifies users through their passports, ID cards or e-Gate cards. It uses facial and eye-recognition technology to identify and verify the user. Once the checks are made, the gate opens automatically for travellers to pass through to baggage reclaim areas.

Over 20 locations have been identified for the purpose of registration for smart gate, which include Terminal 3’s departure halls, Terminals 1 and 3 arrival halls, Dnata office at Sheikh Zayed Road and headquarters of Emirates Airlines and General Directorate for Residency and Foreign Affairs and immigration arrival counters at Terminal 3.

Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects and Emaratech, a technology and consulting company, signed an agreement in July 2013 to build and install smart gates at Dubai International Airports and upgrade immigration counters to alleviate travellers passport control procedures.

Emirates24|7 reported on Tuesday that the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, was offering residents of the UAE free e-gate cards and smart gate activation.

The service is being offered only until April 10 at the smart gate and e-gate registration kiosk located outside Hall No 6 of Dubai World Trade Centre. The kiosk is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
 

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