Dubai airport immigration: 3 ways to clear passport control faster

Dubai: Passport control at Dubai Airports can now take just a few seconds, as Dubai authorities use biometric technology, facial recognition, electronic passport reading and automated pre-screening to make the travel experience even better at the world’s busiest airport. If you are planning to travel through Dubai Airports anytime soon, here are three ways in which you can get through passport control within seconds. Smart Gates If you have travelled through Dubai Airports – whether it is Dubai International Airport (DXB) or Al Maktoum International Airport – Dubai World Central (DWC), this is one immigration clearance service you would definitely have seen, if not used. The Smart Gates are the advanced passport control system offered at the airports that allow travellers to complete the passport control quickly, typically within seconds. The Smart Gates are an extremely convenient and popular way of clearing immigration, and this year alone, more than 9.3 million passengers used the service in the first eight months of 2026, according to the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai). How do they work? When you reach the passport control section at the airport, you will have the option to either go to the passport control desk or move to the Smart Gates. If you choose to use a Smart Gate, follow these steps: Once at the Smart Gate, remember to remove anything covering your face – such as masks, glasses and hats – and keep your passport and boarding pass ready in case it is required. Enter the Smart Gate area and make sure you follow the green light and any instructions you receive on where to stand for the biometric scan. Once the scan is complete, the gate will open and you can proceed. Who can use the Smart Gates system? UAE and GCC nationals UAE residents Visa-on-arrival and Schengen Union guests Pre-issued visa holders Returning tourists with biometric passports When can I not use the Smart Gates? People of Determination If you are travelling with large strollers Families with children Those under 1.2 meters in height New precheck tool lets you check if you're eligible before you travel An easy way to check in advance whether or not you can use the Smart Gates, is a new online precheck tool launched by GDRFA Dubai . Here’s how to use it: Open the Smart Gates Precheck tool: https://dxb.pocketflights.com/scan-passport Place your passport in the frame and take a photo. Make sure the page with your photograph and passport details is clearly visible. The system will then inform you if you are eligible to use the Smart Gate System. If you're already at the airport, you can also scan the QR code on screens around Passport Control in the departures and arrivals area to access the precheck tool. 2. Red Carpet service Want to clear immigration even faster? The Red Carpet service at Dubai Airports does not even require a passenger to take out their passport at any point. Initially launched at the Dubai International Airport’s business class departures section last year, the Red Carpet enables travellers to complete entry and exit procedures and clear immigration processes without stopping, standing still, or presenting or scanning any documents. In its first year, nearly 800,000 people used the service, according to GDRFA Dubai, with the total time taken to clear immigration at 3.4 seconds. The service is currently available for UAE citizens and residents at Terminal 3 of DXB and in order to use, you will be required to register once, by linking your passport information to a biometric face scan. This can be done at airport counters or at passport control. If you are above the age of 18 and are flying via Emirates, you can also register for the Red Carpet service using the Emirates app or at a check-in desk. 3. Click and Travel If you find yourself at the passport control desk, there is a new service that can speed up the process at that touch point as well. In its latest efforts to ease passport control procedures for travellers at Dubai Airports, GDRFA Dubai announced a new initiative earlier this week – ‘click and travel’ . The service is aimed at speeding up procedures, particularly during peak periods and emergencies, and allows passport control officers to use mobile devices to process passengers waiting in line, speeding up the process. During its trial phase, the service processed 31,373 passengers between its pilot launch in May and the end of August, with the service now officially launched for all passengers – UAE citizens, residents, GCC nationals and visitors.