Airport staff at Dubai International can step away from fixed passport counters and process departing travelers wherever they stand, thanks to a mobile-based system rolled out by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA). Called “Click & Travel,” the tool clears a single passenger in roughly 12 to 15 seconds.
The system runs on handheld devices tied into GDRFA Dubai’s databases and pairs that connection with biometric checks to confirm who a traveler is and finish the transaction on the spot. Because officers are no longer tethered to set control points, teams can shift where they work, redistribute staff during busy stretches, and absorb spikes in traffic more easily.
Departures are open to everyone passing through the airport: Emirati nationals, residents, and foreign visitors alike. Arrivals are being handled in stages, with the opening phase limited to UAE citizens and residents before wider access is added as operations allow.
Colonel Expert Khalid Bin Mediya Al Falasi, Assistant Director-General for Digital Services at GDRFA Dubai, described the service as a blend of digital infrastructure and on-the-ground work, letting officers pull up and confirm passenger records securely without a fixed station. He noted the design leaves room to grow the range of tasks handled through mobile devices.
Major General Talal Ahmed Al Shanqiti, Assistant Director-General for Air Ports, framed the shift as carrying passport services to the traveler rather than the other way around, which he said trims waiting points and keeps people moving without loosening security.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, said the effort marks a move away from tweaking existing steps toward rethinking the journey itself. “We place people at the heart of the development process and harness advanced technologies to create an easier and more efficient travel experience,” he said.
Testing ran from May through August 31, 2026, during which the system logged 31,373 completed transactions — a figure Al Marri pointed to as evidence the service is ready for real use and can be scaled further. GDRFA Dubai has said it is weighing additional mobile offerings beyond entry and exit steps, provided they clear the required operational and security approvals.
