Customs clearance takes under four minutes at Dubai airport now

Dubai: The time taken for customs clearance at the Red Channel at Dubai International Airport (DXB) has come down to under four minutes, as arriving passengers can complete their customs declaration before landing in the country, according to a top Dubai Customs official.

Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, who visited Dubai International Airport’s Terminals 1 and 3, said the reduction processing time has been facilitated by the iDeclare system.

How iDeclare works

Passengers arriving in Dubai can securely submit their customs declarations electronically instead of the traditional paper forms. This can be through an online application, called iDeclare, which simplifies the customs’ clearance process. Passengers can self-declare commercial goods, personal effects or cash online, in keeping with the rules, saving time and effort.

The launch of iDeclare has made Dubai Customs the first customs administration in the region to implement smart mobile declarations for passengers.

The development of the smart app was aimed at facilitating ease of passage through Dubai International Airport, which receives a record number of passengers year after year.

Clearance waiting time, which was around 45 minutes before iDeclare was launched, has now been brought down to less than four minutes.

Customs inspectors no longer have to fill in declarations on behalf of passengers and only have to scan the “bar code” generated by the app on the passenger’s smartphone.

iDeclare also enables passengers to stay abreast of the rules applying to declarable goods. The initiative has proven to be an efficient adoption of digital transformation and technology-enabled automation of customs processes and procedures.

Addressing challenges

Dr Busenad’s airport visit was aimed at overseeing overall operations and evaluating the advanced services offered to passengers. His visit focused on reviewing the customs systems designed to streamline procedures and reduce processing time.

During his inspection, Dr. Busenad addressed any challenges faced by inspectors and passengers, besides possible solutions to ensure a seamless and secure travel experience for passengers.

The visit, according to Dubai Customs, reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing its operations through innovative solutions, in line with with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to position Dubai as a global centre for trade and tourism.

Investment hub

Dr. Busenad highlighted the importance of fostering a creative environment that facilitates travellers and boosts Dubai’s appeal as an investment hub.

He also stressed on protecting the emirate’s entry points and safeguarding the community and economy from prohibited, restricted and counterfeit goods, which he said, is a top priority for Dubai Customs.

He compared their role to “a balance that facilitates trade and expedites traveller movement while protecting borders from smuggling”. This is achieved through skilled personnel and the latest innovations in customs procedures.

Yasser Saeed Al-Maslami, Senior Customs Consultant, Engineer Adel Al-Suwaidi, Director of Technical Support and Khaled Ahmed, Acting Director of Passenger Operations and Khalifa bin Shaheen, Director of Airport Terminal 3, accompanied Dr Busenad on the visit.