Immigration gate planned in Dubai

A proposed new smart immigration gate at Dubai airport terminals will allow registered passengers through by just scanning their eyes, with no need to scan or check passports or e-Gate cards, a senior official said.
The proposal is still in the planning stages and is not operational at the moment, Captain Khalid Ebrahim Mohammad, head of corporate communications department at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Afffairs (GDRFA), told news reporters.
His comments came on Wednesday during the fourth Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition (DIGAE), which is showcasing a model of the proposed Eyen Gate at the DNRD stand. ‘Eyen’ means eye in Arabic.
Capt Mohammad said if the gate is eventually installed, it will at first be for use by UAE residents exiting or re-entering the country. Residents interested in using the gate will first have to register their passport details and eye scan in the Eyen gate system with GRDFA. Once registered, they will be able to pass the gate without lining up to show their passport at passport control counters. The gate will require no documents — be it the passport or e-Gate card — and an eye scanner at the gate will scan the passenger’s eyes and update his or her travel record.
“If the passenger wants, he or she can request for their passport to be stamped with the entry or exit stamp. But that’s up to the passenger,” Capt Mohammad said.