Dubai: UAE residents can now use their Emirates ID cards to pass through passport control counters without waiting in queues at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) yesterday announced activating the use of Emirates ID for the Smart Gate system at Dubai International Airport.
As part of the latest technological upgrades to the services provided at Dubai International Airport, the GDRFA said it has completed implementing the smart gate system service on the ID card at the arrivals and departures wings in Terminal 3.
The new project has been implemented in cooperation with the Emirates Identity Authority to further improve services and ensure a pleasant and smooth experience for all passengers, who now no longer require to stand in long queues to clear passport control procedures.
This activation came almost two months after the GDRFA completed the first stage of the same project with the 28 e-gates in Terminal Three arrivals, which also can be used with an Emirates ID and requires no prior registration or paying any fees.
Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, director-general of GDRFA, announced the new service with the smart gates which he said does not need prior registration as well and will only require a valid ID card instead of using one’s passport when entering and exiting the country. He said passengers’ fingerprints must also be registered with the Emirates Identity Authority.
Children under the age of 15, however, will not be able to use the system with their ID cards. Airport employees will assist them as their parents cross the smart gates, he said.
The smart gate, designed by Emaratech, is considered the second generation of the e-gate and is a lot faster and more efficient as it is seven seconds faster when processing a passenger’s credentials.
The e-gate scans biometrics of travellers before allowing them to pass through passport control. The smart gate has a similar procedure and takes an average of 12 seconds to clear a passenger.
As part of this activation came the launch of an initiative called “smooth departure and arrival”, the GDRFA said, which is aimed at making it an easy experience for travellers.
“The use of an Emirates ID card at the smart gates is another step towards finding exceptional solutions that speed up procedures at the airport and facilitate smooth entry and exit movements of travellers. It also reflects a civilised image of the UAE, which has made great strides in advancing airport services,” he said.
An official from the GDRFA previously told Gulf News that the service will soon be activated in all other terminals as well. In other stages, the service will be activated in Terminals one, two, and three at both the arrivals and departure wings.
He said procedures through the smart gates and e-gates are completed while maintaining a high-level of accuracy and security standards.
