Clear immigration in seven seconds at Abu Dhabi airport

Abu Dhabi Airports and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday.

A central pillar of this collaboration is the ‘Smart Travel’ initiative — a transformative system introduced by ICP that enables passengers to clear immigration in as little as seven seconds using biometric verification and smart gate technology.

The initiative sets a new benchmark in seamless, tech-enabled travel and plays a critical role in Abu Dhabi Airports’ vision to deliver a gate-to-kerb arrival experience in under 12 minutes.

This partnership comes at a pivotal time for Abu Dhabi Airports, which has witnessed record levels of growth. The company achieved a 44.5 percent increase in passenger traffic in 2023, followed by 28 percent in 2024, culminating in 17 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth through to the first half of 2025. In light of this sustained momentum, the MoU establishes a collaborative framework that ensures the airport ecosystem can scale efficiently, maintain exceptional service standards, and meet the demands of an increasingly global passenger base.

The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony held at Zayed International Airport with Elena Sorlini, managing director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, and Mohammed Ahmed Abdullah Al Kuwaiti, acting director general of ports at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, signing on behalf of their respective organisations.

The MoU outlines deepened cooperation between Abu Dhabi Airports and ICP across key areas including border control operations, customs facilitation, emergency preparedness, training, and service optimisation.

“We are delighted to have strengthened our partnership with UAE ICP, a crucial partner and an enabler of our incredible pace of growth at Abu Dhabi Airports. Together, we aim to raise the standard for efficient, secure, and passenger-centric airport operations. This partnership ensures that the infrastructure and systems supporting our operations are just as advanced as the world-class facilities we offer our guests,” Sorlini stated.

“The integration between government services and airport operations is essential to realising the UAE’s vision for aviation leadership. With this agreement, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring border security while enabling fast, intelligent, and seamless travel experiences,” Al Kuwaiti added.

By integrating advanced systems, sharing real-time data, and deploying coordinated workflows, the partnership is designed to improve processing efficiency while preserving the highest standards of security and service. Joint working groups will oversee daily operational planning, manage emergency readiness, and ensure continuous performance evaluation based on internationally benchmarked indicators. These include passenger wait times, satisfaction levels, customs clearance efficiency, and overall throughput, particularly during peak periods.

Beyond the immediate operational benefits, the agreement reflects the UAE’s broader strategic ambition to become a global leader in tourism, logistics, and aviation excellence. As the UAE continues to attract millions of visitors annually, integrated partnerships like this one are critical to delivering the seamless travel experience that defines its global reputation.