Summer holiday rush? How to skip immigration queue at Dubai airports

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai, has asked residents to register for smart gates before the holiday season begins, as it will help them clear the immigration in just 3 to 5 minutes.

“We want residents to come and register for the smart gates so it will save their time as they will not have to stand in the immigration queues. It takes just a few minutes to register for smart gate and once activated they can cross the immigration in just three to five minutes,” Mohammed Sultan Thani, Consultant, Organization Excellence, GDRFA, Dubai, told Emirates 24|7.

Currently, there are three smart gate registration centres: Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 Departure Food Court, Terminal 3 arrival GDRFA service cente and Dnata on Sheikh Zayed Road.

“The terminal 1 and 3 registration counters are open for 24 hours. We hope residents will spare a few minutes when at the airport to register for the smart gates,” he said, adding, “Residents, who are not traveling, can take the metro and get their registration done as well.”

Take a note: Residents have to carry their original passports for smart gate registration, which is free of charge.

In April, Emirates 24|7 reported that Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 and 2, and the Al Maktoum International Airport will have smart gates installed soon.

Currently, Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 has 28 smart gates.Terminal 1 is set to have 16 smart gates; terminal 2 will get four gates, while Al Maktoum International Airport will have four smart gates to start with.

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 travelers to pass through to baggage reclaim areas.

The process

1. Scan
Scan your passport’s personal details page

2. Enter into Gate.
Gate will open. Enter into the smart gate and stand on the marked footprints.

3. Look into Camera
Stand still and look at the camera. Don’t move until the word “ok” is displayed on the screen.

4. Registered users
Gate opens. Proceed to baggage reclaim.

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