DXB ‘Smart Tunnel’ Set to Go Live by End-Summer 2018

A new smart tunnel which is expected to reduce passport control procedures to just 15 seconds will be installed at Dubai International Airport by the end of next summer.

In a tweet published on Thursday, Dubai Media Office said the system, which uses iris recognition technology, will be rolled out in DXB’s Terminal 3. Passengers will have to first stand in front of the tunnel and before walking through for facial recognition. They can exit the tunnel in a few seconds without the need for passport stamping or any other human intervention.

The white tunnel includes a green-tinged digital floorboard that changes colour to red as a passenger walks through to finish the procedure. The General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) is working with Emirates airline on the project as part of the Government Accelerators programme.

The UAE has already pioneered the ‘e-gate’ system across airports to streamline border control processes and reduce waiting times for in- and outbound passengers.