Technology & Innovation

Dubai Launches Smart Gate Eligibility Tool to Speed Up Immigration at DXB

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has introduced a new digital feature that allows passengers to check their Smart Gate eligibility before reaching passport control, helping streamline the immigration process during the busy summer travel season.

The Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check service was launched by Dubai Airports in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai. The tool enables both departing and arriving passengers to instantly verify whether they can use the airport's biometric Smart Gates, reducing uncertainty and helping eligible travellers avoid manual immigration queues.

The rollout comes as DXB experiences one of its busiest travel periods, with daily passenger numbers expected to exceed 265,000 during the summer peak. The airport welcomed a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025, maintaining its position as the world's busiest international airport, with strong passenger growth continuing into 2026.

Dubai Airports said the initiative is part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the passenger journey through faster and more efficient airport processes.

How the Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check Works

The service is available without downloading an app. Travellers can access it through the Pocket Flights platform or by scanning QR codes placed across DXB terminals and departure gates.

To check eligibility, passengers need to:

Open the Pocket Flights portal on their smartphone.
Select the Smart Gates Pre-Check option.
Scan the photo page of their passport using their phone's camera.

Within seconds, the system confirms whether the traveller is eligible to use the Smart Gates. Eligible passengers can proceed directly to the biometric gates instead of joining traditional passport control queues.

At the Smart Gates, travellers simply stand on the designated footprints, remove face coverings or glasses if necessary, look towards the camera, and complete immigration clearance within seconds using facial recognition technology.

Supporting Faster Airport Travel

Dubai's Smart Gates use biometric facial recognition to accelerate immigration procedures. During the first half of 2026, more than 9 million passengers cleared immigration using the system.

The Smart Gates are available to several categories of travellers, including:

UAE nationals
GCC nationals
UAE residents
Visa-on-arrival passengers
Schengen zone travellers
Holders of pre-issued UAE visas

Officials expect the new eligibility checker to increase Smart Gate usage and reduce congestion at manual immigration counters during peak travel periods.

The initiative complements Dubai's broader smart travel ecosystem, including the AI-powered "Travel Without Borders – Red Carpet" service, which has reduced average immigration processing times for eligible passengers from 12.5 seconds to just 3.4 seconds.