At Dubai International Airport terminals, immigration officers now approach passengers themselves with tablets in hand—instead of making people line up at counters. This is the essence of the new Click and Travel service, officially launched by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) on 7 September 2026.
The service uses biometric verification, facial recognition, e-passport reading, and automated checks. A transaction takes 12–15 seconds, and during the pilot period from May to the end of August 2026, the system processed 31 373 passengers. The first testing phase began as early as October 2025 in Terminal 3 and was initially focused on families.
The service is available to UAE citizens, residents, GCC nationals, and international visitors for both departures and arrivals (initially on a limited basis). It does not replace smart gates or the 'Red Carpet' service, but serves as a backup tool for peak loads, allowing officers to work anywhere in the terminal.
Dubai has long been investing in 'smart' border technologies: from biometric gates to priority lanes. Click and Travel is the next step, giving authorities flexibility in managing flows without building new counters. According to GDRFA representatives, this is part of a strategy to redesign the passenger experience, rather than just speeding up procedures.
In an era where millions of people pass through one of the world's busiest airports every year, mobile immigration not only solves the problem of queues but also maintains a sense of a seamless journey. The passenger does not get stuck in a crowd but continues moving—to the next stage of the journey or to the airport exit.
The technology, of course, does not eliminate the need for document and biometric checks, but it brings the process closer to the person. As a result, even during peak hours, the airport remains a space of movement rather than waiting.
Click and Travel demonstrates how major hubs are adapting their infrastructure to growing traffic volumes without sacrificing convenience and speed.
