Dubai: Over 21M Travelers in 2023 Passed Immigration Within Minutes

In 2023, over 21 million travelers smoothly navigated passport control at Dubai airports, marking a 55% surge from the 2022 figure of around 13.5 million passengers.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) reported this accomplishment, detailing the usage of 127 smart gates at Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC). These travelers experienced seamless processing without immigration officials' aid, utilizing advanced technology.

Facial recognition was integrated into five gates at DXB Terminal 3, enabling passengers to clear procedures swiftly by simply looking at the green light above the enhanced smart gates.

Emirates passengers at Concourse B, Terminal 3, benefited from this technology for check-in, immigration clearance, and boarding.

The smart gates and travel paths incorporated cutting-edge biometric technology, employing a combination of facial and iris recognition.

While other smart gates at Dubai airport terminals are contactless, requiring passport or Emirates ID scanning, those registered, including UAE and Gulf nationals, residents, and eligible tourists, can use the smart gates for expedited processing.

Brigadier-General Talal Al Shanqiti, assistant general director of the Airport Passport Affairs sector, highlighted the evolution of e-gates since their 2002 introduction, upgrading to smart gates in 2017.

With a pandemic-induced shift to contactless processes, facial recognition technology enhancements were introduced in 2022.

The GDRFA emphasized the time-saving benefits of smart gates, aligning with the broader goal of improving the airport experience for all travelers.