Smart gates at Dubai airport operational with passports, not Emirates ID

Travellers departing Dubai can use the gates by scanning passports but arriving passengers must continue to go through immigration

Smart gates at Dubai's T3 are operational again for departing passengers. Courtesy Dubai Airports 

Smart gates at Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3 are operational for departing travellers.

Passengers flying out of Dubai can use the smart gates by scanning their passport, confirmed the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.

Previously, passengers could operate the smart gates using a passport or Emirates ID, e-gate card or a QR bar code generated via the GDRFA smartphone app.

Travellers can only use the smart gates at Dubai's Terminal 3 airport when scanning a passport, rather than using Emirates ID. Courtesy Dubai Media Office

"The restart of the smart gates helps facilitates and simplifies the travel procedures, as the smart gates are considered the safest way to travel in light of the current conditions", said Mohammed Al Marri, director general of the GDRFA.

No prior registration is required to use the smart gates at the airport and users do not need to be Dubai residents. The electronic gates help travellers pass through immigration more quickly.

For all travellers flying into Dubai International Airport, or those departing from terminals other than T3, the smart gates are currently not functional.

All UAE residents travelling to Dubai still need to obtain permission from the GDRFA before they can fly back to the country. Find out more about what you need to know before flying to, through or from Dubai.

In recent weeks, Dubai airports have witnessed an increase in the number of people returning to air travel, said Al Marri. The emirate reopened to tourists in July, having been closed to international flights since March in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.