It’s no secret that the UAE is all set to welcome residents who had travelled during the two-month-long summer vacation. As the airports across the UAE brace for people returning to the nation, the Dubai International Airport issued guidelines for smoother transit. They mentioned how using the smart gates will be able to reduce this transit time for families during peak travel time. As such, August 26 and 27 are expected to be the busiest days. We say this as more than half a million people are expected to pass through the DXB! This advisory comes at the perfect time! Since, it’s hardly a secret as more than 9 million people have passed through the smart gates at the DXB in the first half of 2023. Here’s all about it.
3.3 M Travellers Returning Back From Summer Vacation Over 13 Days
It’s been a busy travel season for the UAE. Dubai International Airport, the world’s biggest airport, saw a massive transit of residents travelling for the summer break. And now, as vacations draw towards an end, airports across the nation are gearing up to welcome thousands of residents back. And it is expected that the DXB is to welcome 3.3 million travellers over the next 13 days! Yes, in a report by Khaleej Times, it was revealed that on Wednesday, the airport operator announced an advisory, which mentioned that people who are travelling with families or passengers over the age of 12 can use smart gates for speeding up their passport control process. This means travellers who are aged between four and 12 will be able to use a dedicated passport control counter and even get to independently stamp their passports.
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9 M+ Passengers Used Smart Gates At DXB In The 1st Half Of 2023
As it happens, the General Directorate of Residency & Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) also recently announced that more than 9 million passengers have travelled by using smart gates in the first half of this year. The large number of people using this facility has helped them clear immigration formalities in a span of just seconds! This means that out of 26 million passengers, 36% of them have passed through the DXB. At this point, it should be noted that there are 120 smart gates at the airport and passengers who have already registered can just pass by.
The process is quite simple, they have to be on the lookout for the green light and they need not get any other document scanned! So if you happen to be a citizen of the UAE or GCC, a resident who is eligible for a visa on arrival, or even a traveller with a pre-issued visa, you can use these smart gates. As it happens, there is a new feature on the GDRFA website that allows travellers to check if they are eligible for using the smart gets or not. It’s quite simple to do so, you will only need to do is visit their website and enter your Emirates ID or passport number. After this, you must mention your date of birth and gender, and finally, you will get either of the two messages mentioning whether you are registered or not.
So, have you also used these smart gates for travelling before? Let us know.
Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/DXB