Dubai airport will soon become the world’s first airport to enable passengers to complete the entry and exit procedures using mobile phones during peak hours. The “Click & Travel" service, launched by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (Dubai Residency), was aimed at enhancing Dubai's efforts to improve the travel experience at its airports.
An immigration officer will approach the travellers with a system which uses biometric verification, facial recognition, electronic passport reading, and automated checks. This enables quick entry and exit procedures without being tied to fixed service points.
A transaction takes approximately 12 to 15 seconds. The facility is available for UAE nationals, UAE residents, GCC nationals and visitors. The service can be used for both arrival and departure procedures at Dubai’s airports.
The system has already been proven successful, with the total number of transactions completed through "Click & Travel" from its pilot launch in May until August 31 reaching approximately 31,373.
The service is available to all departing passengers—citizens, residents, and visitors—while initially, upon arrival, it is limited to citizens and residents. Its scope will be gradually expanded according to approved operational plans and requirements.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai Identity and Foreigners Affairs, said that "Click & Travel" reflects Dubai's approach of shifting from developing procedures to redesigning the passenger experience.
"We place people at the heart of the development process and employ modern technologies to create a more convenient and efficient travel experience." With “Click & Travel,” instead of travellers searching for the service, it comes to them, and passport control officers can complete their procedures quickly, securely, and flexibly from their location,” he said.
