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Updated September 2024
Identity cards, passports, tickets, and boarding passes—carrying and safeguarding these documents while traveling takes half the fun out of it, doesn’t it? Thankfully, the latest innovation of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) will save us from at least one of these travel essentials: the passport.
Read this Wego article to learn more about Dubai’s Smart Travel System and how you can use it to travel passport-free.
How the Smart Travel System works
The GDRFA has introduced cutting-edge innovation at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Center). Recognizing the urgent need to enable contactless travel, the government has launched the “Biometric Passenger Journey” at DXB and DWC in collaboration with Emirates Airlines.
The gates are located at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport, Emirates Terminal 3, in close proximity to the airport’s arrival and departure terminals. Currently, Dubai World Center has three terminals and is undergoing expansion.
A staggering 122 intelligent gates at the airport have been upgraded to use biometric technology to identify passengers aged 17 and above. Facial and iris recognition blends will replace traditional printed passports as part of the Dubai authorities’ paper-free experiment.
This will make checking in luggage, security checks, immigration, boarding, and disembarking much more convenient and time-saving. Travelers can complete the passport control procedures in five to nine seconds without contacting the ground staff.
The airport’s 32 self-check-in and 16-bag drop kiosks are also entirely touchless. Travelers can control them with their mobile phones without touching the screens.
A Step-By-Step Guide
Here are the steps to fully utilize the Smart Travel System:
- The first time you use the intelligent pathways, you must register your passport at the check-in counter. Your registration will be valid on the system until your passport expires.
- Once registered, walk through the intelligent tunnel, which has been fitted with a biometric scanner. Show your face and look at the green dot in the camera. Ensure you have removed anything that might cover your face, such as glasses, face masks, or hats.
- You can also use the biometric machine at the boarding gates to hop on the plane—with your documents safely in your bag!
Who can use the Smart Travel System?
People who fall into these categories are allowed to use the Smart Travel System:
- Nationals of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
- Residents of the United Arab Emirates
- Citizens of countries eligible for visa-on-arrival
However, people who fall into these categories below are not allowed to use the Smart Travel System:
- Determined individuals and visitors who are pushing giant strollers
- Families and children
- Guests under the height of 1.2 meters
To further check your Smart Gate eligibility, visit the GDRFA website and follow the instructions.
