Dubai International Airport (DXB) has introduced a new mobile immigration service that allows passport-control officers to process passengers directly at their location inside the airport, reducing reliance on fixed immigration counters.
Called Click & Travel, the service was officially launched by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) on September 7. The technology combines mobile devices, biometric verification and secure access to immigration systems to complete entry and departure procedures in around 12 to 15 seconds.
What is Click & Travel?
Click & Travel is a mobile passport-control service designed to allow immigration officers to complete passenger procedures away from traditional fixed counters.
Using handheld devices connected to GDRFA Dubai’s systems and databases, officers can verify passenger identities and complete the relevant immigration transaction while remaining mobile within the terminal.
The initiative is intended to give airport teams greater flexibility when managing passenger flows, particularly during peak periods and operational disruptions.
How does the mobile immigration service work?
The system combines several technologies to allow officers to process passengers securely.
Depending on the passenger and procedure, the mobile device can use biometric verification and access passenger information through GDRFA Dubai’s connected systems. This enables officers to verify identity and complete the required immigration procedure at the passenger’s location.
The mobile approach effectively moves the passport-control service closer to the traveller rather than requiring every passenger to approach a fixed counter.
How fast is the new service?
According to GDRFA Dubai, a Click & Travel transaction takes approximately 12 to 15 seconds.
The system was tested during pilot operations between May and August 31, 2026. During this period, it completed 31,373 transactions, allowing authorities to assess its operational performance before the official launch.
Who can use Click & Travel?
The availability of the service differs between departure and arrival procedures.
For departures, Click & Travel is available to all passengers, including:
- UAE citizens
- UAE residents
- Visitors
For arrivals, the first phase covers UAE citizens and residents, with GDRFA Dubai planning to expand the service according to operational requirements.
Does Click & Travel replace immigration counters?
No.
The new system adds a mobile option to Dubai’s existing immigration infrastructure rather than eliminating traditional passport-control facilities.
The key difference is that officers can now take the passport-control process directly to passengers when operationally required.
This gives airport teams another way to manage queues, allocate resources and respond to changing passenger volumes.
Does it replace Dubai’s Smart Gates?
Click & Travel is also not a replacement for Dubai’s existing smart-gate and automated immigration systems.
Instead, it adds another technology-enabled option to the airport’s wider passport-control network.
While smart gates allow eligible passengers to complete automated immigration procedures themselves, Click & Travel allows an immigration officer to bring the processing capability directly to the passenger.
Why has Dubai introduced the service?
The primary objective is to make passenger processing faster, more flexible and responsive.
During busy periods, airport teams can use mobile officers to respond to passenger concentrations and operational pressures without relying exclusively on fixed processing points.
GDRFA Dubai said the system allows resources to be allocated more flexibly while maintaining security and operational efficiency.
How does it help passenger movement?
By taking immigration processing beyond fixed points, officers can respond to passenger flows in real time.
The approach can potentially reduce the number of waiting points passengers encounter and allow airport teams to address operational requirements more quickly.
For passengers, the important change is therefore not a new app or a new mandatory procedure. Instead, the immigration officer now has greater flexibility in where the procedure can be completed.
When was Click & Travel first tested?
The service went through a pilot phase before its official launch.
According to GDRFA Dubai, pilot operations ran from May 2026 until August 31, 2026, during which more than 31,000 transactions were completed.
The successful pilot provided operational data that supported the September 7 launch and the planned further development of mobile immigration services.
What happens after immigration processing?
Once the relevant immigration procedure has been completed, passengers continue with the next stage of their airport journey.
For departing passengers, this means proceeding towards security and the remaining departure facilities.
Arriving passengers can continue towards customs and the subsequent stages of their journey.
What does Click & Travel mean for the future of Dubai airports?
GDRFA Dubai is looking beyond the current immigration application and exploring additional mobile services, subject to operational and security requirements.
The initiative forms part of the authority’s broader efforts to develop smart ports, improve operational efficiency and make government services more accessible and flexible.
For travellers, Click & Travel represents a shift from a traditional model in which passengers move to an immigration counter towards a more flexible model in which immigration services can move to the passenger.
With more than 31,000 transactions already completed during the pilot, Dubai is positioning the service as another step towards a more technology-driven and seamless airport experience.
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