Citizens of the United Arab Emirates can now use their state-issued ID cards to pass through automated e-gates at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport. The move was undertaken by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) in cooperation with the Emirates Identity Authority, with UAE residents now able to use their ID cards for processing without the need to register for the system.
The move follows an announcement last year from the Ministry of Interior declaring government authorities’ aim to launch a biometric screening system in the country’s airports. That the government collects all UAE citizens’ fingerprint data was expected to be a major aid in this endeavor, though additional iris scanning was planned for non-residents.
In announcing the citizen ID screening option, the deputy director of GDRFA-Dubai explained that the goal was to make airport travel more convenient for citizens, and suggested that it would be extended to more airport terminals in the future.
Sources: Emirates 24|7 News, The Gulf Daily
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July 25th, 2016 – by Alex Perala
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