Dubai launches new immigration smart service

Major General Mohammed Al Marri, second from left, unveiling the new smart services at the immigration department on Thursday. - Supplied photo

The Dubai immigration authorities on Thursday unveiled a package of new smart services which Emiratis, residents and companies can have access to via smart phones and tablets.

A top official said the move is in line with the smart government drive initiated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai in May 2013.

“The move is aimed to make government services available on smart phones and tablets that customers can manage their applications round the clock at anywhere,” said Major General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFAD).

Though the new smart services help customers submit and follow their applications as convenient and fast as possible, there is no single compromise for security or privacy rules, he noted.

Captain Salem bin Ali, Manager of AMER Customer Care Section – GDRFAD, said Emiratis may now have access to some smart services. “They may issue or renew the residence visas of their foreign wives and domestic helpers.”

Residents may also issue, renew, and extend the residence visas of their families through smart phone services, he added.

Captain Bin Ali explained that applicants can check the list of the sponsored people on the file of the national or resident. “They may also follow their transactions step by step.”

Companies can also follow their transactions through the smart services, he noted. “They can renew or cancel entry permits, and submit an application to the ministry of labour, let alone many other services available.”

Captain Bin Ali affirmed that the faster and easily accessible services are aimed to save time, money, and effort, expedite procedures, and far and beyond win customers’ satisfaction.

“However, there is no compromise for security or privacy issues which are strictly handled that none can have access to any transaction unless it is his or hers.”

A new channel has also been dedicated for using the smart gate by simply scanning the barcode on the personal files of any national or resident upon arrival at the country entry checkpoint, he stated.

More than 100 e-Gates are installed at Terminal 1 and 2 of Dubai International Airport while 14 smart gates are available at Terminal 3 for over 17-year-old residents with free registration and activation.

The smart gates can read electronic passports and accept Emirates ID or the e-Gate as an identification document. The gates use facial and eye recognition technology to identify and verify the user. Once the checks are made, the gate opens automatically for travellers to pass through to baggage reclaim areas.

The smart gates are meant to enhance passenger flow and comfort, particularly as the number of passengers expected to use Dubai International Airport are projected to cross 78 million in 2015 and 103 million in 2020.