A new service has been launched at Dubai’s airports, enabling passport control officers to process passengers’ entry and exit directly on the spot. This is achieved using portable devices with biometric verification, integrated into the overall system. This was reported by
Emirates News Agency (WAM), a partner of TV BRICS.
The procedure takes approximately 12 seconds. The service is designed for use during peak hours and in emergency situations. It eliminates the need to be tied to fixed counters and allows resources to be allocated according to workload.
On outbound flights, the service is available to all categories of travellers: citizens, residents and visitors. On inbound flights, it is initially available only to citizens and residents – plans are in place to expand the user base in the future.
During the trial period from May to 31 August 2026, over 31,000 transactions were processed via the service.
The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) stated that the service now comes to the passenger, rather than the other way round. According to representatives of the department, this increases the flexibility of border control operations, reduces queues and improves throughput.
They also noted that the value of the service lies not only in the device itself but also in the digital integration, which allows staff to retrieve passenger data and verify it on the spot.
There are plans to expand the capabilities of the mobile devices in the future: in addition to entry and exit, they may begin to provide other travel-related services.