Dubai’s General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) has launched a mobile passport control service called Click & Travel, which allows officers to complete entry and departure procedures anywhere inside an airport terminal rather than at fixed checkpoints.
The service runs on mobile devices integrated with GDRFA Dubai’s systems and uses biometric verification to process each transaction in approximately 12 to 15 seconds. Since pilot operations began in May 2026, officers have completed around 31,373 transactions through the service, with pilots running through 31 August 2026.
At departure, Click & Travel is available to all passengers, including UAE citizens, residents and visitors. At arrival, the first phase covers UAE citizens and residents, with plans to expand scope over time.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, said that “Click & Travel” reflects GDRFA Dubai’s approach of moving beyond improving procedures towards redesigning the passenger experience.
“We place people at the heart of the development process and harness advanced technologies to create an easier and more efficient travel experience. With ‘Click & Travel,’ instead of passengers having to look for the service, the service comes to them, enabling passport control officers to complete their procedures at their location quickly, securely and flexibly,” he said in a statement.
“The completion of more than 31,000 transactions reflects the service’s readiness and ability to operate efficiently within the airport environment and encourages us to continue developing and expanding it, further strengthening Dubai’s leadership and position in shaping the future of travel,” he added.
Major General Talal Ahmed Al Shanqiti, Assistant Director General for Air Ports at GDRFA Dubai, said that the service enhances operational flexibility. “The importance of ‘Click & Travel’ lies in bringing the service to wherever the passenger is, enabling a faster response to operational movement, reducing waiting points and ensuring smoother passenger flows, while maintaining the highest levels of security and efficiency,” he added.
Colonel Expert Khalid Bin Mediya Al Falasi, Assistant Director General for Digital Services at GDRFA Dubai, explained that the service represents a model for integrating digital solutions with field operations. “The value in ‘Click & Travel’ is not limited to the mobile device itself, but lies in the digital integration ecosystem that enables passport control officers to access and verify passenger information and complete procedures at the passenger’s location efficiently and quickly, within a secure and fully integrated digital environment,” he said.
“The service has been designed to enable its continued development and the future expansion of the range of services that can be delivered through mobile devices, supporting GDRFA Dubai’s direction towards more flexible and proactive digital solutions,” he added.
GDRFA Dubai said it plans to broaden Click & Travel to cover additional processes connected to the passenger journey, subject to operational and security approvals.
