Passengers at Dubai airport will soon be spared of time-consuming immigration clearance procedures as 'smart electronic gates', which will solve the purpose in just 14 seconds, are being set up, according to authorities who expect around 90 million visitors here in next two years.
The smart e-gate, expected to come up by next year, will have a passport reader, which will instantly check from the existing data base whether the entry of a passenger is legal.
Besides, a pre-installed camera will verify the passenger's identity by matching his image against the photograph on the passport. The new e-gate will also have an advanced automated facility to capture iris scans, to ensure that individuals who have already been blacklisted are unable to enter the country.
"The e-gate will enable a passenger to clear immigration in 14 seconds flat," said Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, the Director General of the immigration department's e-services sector.
"We hope to provide the smart e-gate service by next year," Razooqi said. With 90 million visitors expected here in the next two years after the completion of a dedicated terminal for the giant A380 aircraft, Dubai immigration authorities have taken up various hi-tech measures to manage the heavy influx of passengers.
The immigration department has established an integrated interface with the departments of labour, health and police to improve the efficiency of issuing and renewing visas.
Under the initiative called 'Amer' Service, kiosks have been established in seven Dubai locations, which provide a variety of services.
"The kiosk is like an ATM machine where people can quickly attend to their task without having to join long queues," an official said. These kiosks can electronically respond to enquiries regarding residence and visit visas. If the necessary legal requirements are fulfilled, the machine can instantaneously print the required visa.