Visiting Dubai? Smart gate upgrade makes immigration process 10 times faster, says GDRFA head

Dubai: An upgrade made to smart gates at Dubai’s airports has accelerated immigration procedures and capacity 10 times, according to a top official from the General Directorate of Identity and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA).
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the GDRFA, noted that smart gates have enhanced the airport experience for passengers.
“Thanks to smart gates, our ability to facilitate the process for passengers has been accelerated 10 times,” Al Marri announced during his address at AI Innovations Conference held as part of the inaugural Dubai AI Week.
The smart gates enable a contactless process, streamlining immigration procedures for travellers, and overall throughput.
Al Marri noted that the UAE has established itself as a global hub for innovation — a place where ideas are launched and real-world solutions are built.
“Through a developmental approach, the UAE invests in the brightest minds and places people at the heart of its policies and services. Its mission is clear: to empower communities through knowledge and technology.”

‘Helping shape future’
He described Dubai as a “living laboratory” for government leadership – where policies are transformed into professional models, and technologies are tested through real-world application.

“Dubai is not just keeping pace with the future; it is helping to shape it.”

The GDRFA, he noted, is a model of “institutional agility and smart integration”.
“Our transformation has been both technological and cultural. We changed the way we think before we changed our systems. For us, innovation begins with national talent, emerges through the interactions between staff and customers, and thrives in institutions that commit to continuous learning and evolution,” he said, adding: “At GDRFA, our goal is to harness smart tools to deliver experiences that are just, inclusive, and humane. We use technology not just to accelerate processes, but to measure impact, understand behaviour, and design interventions that meet individual needs.”