What is the Smart Gates eligibility pre-check?
Dubai Airports launched a Smart Gates eligibility checking service at Dubai International Airport (DXB) on 24 July 2026, developed with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai). You scan a QR code in the terminal or use the Pocket Flights platform, and it tells you before passport control whether you can use the Smart Gates. No app download is needed.
How to run the check, step by step
- Find a QR code. Codes are placed across the terminals and at gates. Alternatively, open the Pocket Flights passport-scan page for DXB.
- Scan your passport on the page when it asks.
- Read the result. If you are eligible, head to the Smart Gates. If not, use a manual counter or a handheld lane.
What each result means for you
| Result | What to do |
|---|---|
| Eligible | Go to the Smart Gates, look at the green light and remove anything covering your face |
| Not eligible | Use a manual counter, which stays open. A first visit usually registers you at the counter |
| Unsure or an error | Do not hold up the queue. Use a counter, or ask GDRFA Dubai on 800 5111 from Dubai |
Eligibility is not just about nationality. GDRFA Dubai lists UAE and GCC nationals, UAE residents, visa-on-arrival and Schengen guests and pre-issued visa holders as the groups that can use the gates, and users must be registered. GDRFA’s FAQ also lists passengers with a renewed passport or nationality and residents who stayed outside the UAE for 6 months as separate items without explaining their status. If either applies to you, run the check on this trip. Registration for the gates is handled through GDRFA Dubai’s website, and there are no additional fees.
Illustrative Case: A Resident With a New Passport
The traveller here is made up. A resident renews her passport at home, then flies back into DXB. Because GDRFA lists renewed-passport passengers as their own category, she scans the QR code before the immigration hall instead of assuming her old registration still works. If the result says no, she goes to a counter and is registered there, so the next trip is faster.
Frequently asked questions
Does the pre-check register me?
The service is described as an eligibility check. Registration is handled by GDRFA Dubai, and first-time users are registered at the passport control touchpoint on arrival.
Can children use the pre-check result?
Guests under 15 or under 1.2 metres tall are not eligible for the gates, so a counter is the route for them. See our age and height rules.
Where to go next
- Smart Gates, Red Carpet and Click and Travel: who can use each
- Why DXB added the pre-check
- Not eligible for Smart Gates? What to do instead
Related guides
- Not Eligible for Smart Gates at DXB? What to Do Instead
- Dubai Airport Smart Gates, Red Carpet and Click and Travel: Who Can Use Each
- DXB Security Scanners: What to Expect With Liquids, Laptops and Shoes
- Dubai Visit Visa for Family and Friends: Fees, Documents and 48-Hour Process
- Who Cannot Use Dubai Smart Gates: Under-15 and 1.2 Metre Rules
