If you live in the UAE and fly home a few times a year, the passport queue at DXB is the one part of the trip you can actually shorten. Residents, GCC nationals and most visitors are allowed through the Smart Gates, and many people were enrolled the last time they landed without realising it.
There is also a newer option. Since September 2026, GDRFA Dubai runs a mobile passport-control service called Click and Travel, where the officer comes to you with a handheld device instead of you walking to a counter.
The three options side by side
| Service | Who can use it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Gates | UAE and GCC nationals, UAE residents, most visitors (list below) | About 7 to 13 seconds |
| Red Carpet biometric corridor | Enrolled travellers walking the "Travel Without Borders" tunnel | About 3.4 seconds |
| Click and Travel (mobile officer) | Departure: citizens, residents, visitors. Arrival: citizens and residents for now | About 12 to 15 seconds |
All three sit alongside the regular counters, which stay open.
Who can use Smart Gates at DXB
GDRFA Dubai lists these groups as eligible:
- UAE nationals
- GCC nationals
- UAE residents
- Visitors who receive a visa on arrival
- Visitors from the Schengen area
- Holders of a pre-issued UAE visa
- Returning tourists holding a biometric passport
No age limit or terminal restriction has been published. Coming over from Riyadh or Doha for interviews? A GCC national qualifies directly, and an expat GCC resident entering on an eVisa for GCC residents holds a pre-issued visa.
How to check your eligibility before you fly
- Open dxb.pocketflights.com on your phone (the same tool sits behind the QR codes at passport control).
- Choose Smart Gates PreCheck.
- Hold your passport photo page inside the on-screen frame. No typing needed.
- The result appears within seconds.
Residents have a second route: the Inquiry for Smart Gate Registration service on the GDRFA Dubai website. Enter your Emirates ID details, or passport number and nationality, and it confirms instantly whether you are registered. A "yes" is common even if you never signed up: enrolment happens on a previous entry through DXB.
How to use the gate
- Stand on the footprints marked on the floor.
- Remove anything covering your face: mask, hat, sunglasses.
- Look at the camera and focus on the green light.
- Wait for the gate. Facial recognition matches you against your stored biometrics and it opens on its own.
Click and Travel explained
What it is. A GDRFA Dubai service where immigration officers carry handheld devices through the terminal and complete your entry or exit clearance where you stand. Identity is checked biometrically in about 12 to 15 seconds.
Who it is for. On departure: UAE citizens, residents and visitors. On arrival: UAE citizens and residents in this first phase, with tourist visa holders due to be added later. Families, children and people of determination get priority.
When it runs. It is not a standing lane. GDRFA switches it on during peak travel periods, long queues, emergencies or heavy traffic. There is no registration, application or fee: if it is running when you pass through, an officer may approach you.
The pilot ran from May to 31 August 2026 and handled 31,373 transactions. GDRFA says it complements the Smart Gates and the Red Carpet tunnel rather than replacing them.
What you still need
Each option only checks you against the status you already hold.
- Visitors still need the right entry permission for their nationality: visa on arrival, an eVisa or a pre-arranged visit visa. Our UAE visa types guide covers which applies.
- Residents still need a valid residence visa, and the Emirates ID that goes with it. The Emirates ID renewal guide explains how the two are tied together.
- Flying in for interviews and hoping to stay on? Read up on the job seeker visa before you book.
Key takeaway
Residents, GCC nationals and most visitors can clear DXB passport control in seconds through the Smart Gates, and you can confirm your eligibility online before leaving home. Click and Travel adds a mobile officer during busy periods, but neither service changes the visa or residence status you need to enter.
FAQ
Who can use Smart Gates at Dubai airport?
UAE and GCC nationals, UAE residents, visa-on-arrival visitors, Schengen-area visitors, holders of a pre-issued UAE visa and returning tourists with a biometric passport.
How do I check Smart Gate eligibility for DXB before flying?
Go to dxb.pocketflights.com, select Smart Gates PreCheck and scan your passport photo page. Residents can also use the GDRFA Dubai website's smart gate registration inquiry with Emirates ID or passport details.
What is Click and Travel at Dubai airport?
A GDRFA Dubai mobile passport-control service. Officers with handheld devices come to passengers in the terminal and clear them biometrically in about 12 to 15 seconds. It runs during peak periods, not all the time.
Do tourists use Smart Gates in Dubai?
Yes, if they arrive on a visa on arrival, come from the Schengen area, hold a pre-issued UAE visa or are returning with a biometric passport. Other first-time visitors should expect the counter.
Do I need to register for Click and Travel?
No. There is no sign-up, application or fee. GDRFA activates it at busy times and officers approach passengers on the spot.
