Dubai: Almost 37,000 transactions have been processed by the residency visa centre at Dubai International Airport since it opened 17 months ago.
Major Khalid Yousuf Al Yousuf, Director of the GDRFA (General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs) office at Dubai airport’s Terminal 1, said on Sunday some 30,000 visa and residency-related transactions were processed at the centre in 2012.
Major Al Yousuf said in the first three months of 2013 some 7,000 transactions were completed at the centre.
He said from next month the public will be able to apply for their national ID card at the GDRFA centre located at Terminal 3.
He added the Terminal 3 centre will also issue electronic passports for Emiratis from next month.
He said the Smart Gate service, which is only installed at Terminal 3, will be extended to cover all terminals in addition to Al Maktoum airport. The system means travellers only need to scan their passport, Emirates ID or e-Gate card.
“By the end of this year the Smart Gate service will be installed at Terminals 1 and 2 in addition to Al Maktoum airport in Jebel Ali,” he said.
Major Al Yousuf said the GDRFA airport centre offers residency and naturalisation services for the public round the clock, seven days a week.
He added that the centre is to be expanded and moved to another location at Terminal 3.
“It is open to individuals, companies’ agents and to travellers too,” he said.
He said that services at the centre include banking, typing, ID typing and e-gate processing. At least 15 officers from the residency department operate the centre at the airport.
“People can come to us even at 3am or 4am to have their residency renewed or a visa issued, or to have their ID or passport issued [Emiratis]. This service will be done in less than 20 minutes,” he said.
The centre offers residency services, visit visa services, amendment of statutes, entry permits, fines, domestic helper visas, cancellation, and other services which are offered at the centre’s headquarters.
He said the centre can also help the public who have their residency visas issued from another emirate rather than Dubai.
He added that the centre at the airport remains open on official holidays.
“In the past some people have had their travel cancelled due to visa or residency problems but since this centre opened last year it has sorted out 99 per cent of travellers’ problems,” he said.
He said the public can visit the centre to extend their visit visa or to pay fines and Emiratis can visit the centre to renew their passports.
Major Al Yousuf said: “We are working on making people’s lives easy and we receive the public’s calls and inquiries round the clock on 04-7075388 and on the Amer service on 800 511.”
