(Credit - travelsdubai.com)
What if the Smart Gates pre-check says you are not eligible?
You are not stuck. The manual passport counters at Dubai International Airport stay open alongside the automated options, so you will still be cleared. The pre-check tells you before immigration, so you can head straight for the right lane instead of queueing for a Smart Gates lane you cannot use. This guide matches your situation to the lane that fits.
Which lane for which situation
| Your situation | Best route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First visit, or not yet registered | Manual counter | First-time users are registered at the passport control touchpoint on arrival |
| Travelling with children under 15 or under 1.2 metres | Manual counter, together | Dubai Airports lists families with children as excluded from the gates |
| Using a large stroller | Manual counter | Large strollers are on the excluded list |
| Person of Determination | Manual counter | Listed as excluded from the gates by Dubai Airports |
| Renewed passport or changed nationality | Run the pre-check, then a counter if it says no | GDRFA lists this as its own category |
| Airport is busy | Wait for an officer | Handheld checks are used at peak times, and you cannot request one |
How to get registered for next time
- Complete passport control at a counter on this trip, since first-time users are registered at the touchpoint on arrival.
- Check that your passport is biometric, because visa-on-arrival guests need a biometric passport to use the gates.
- On your next trip, run the pre-check before immigration.
- If it still says no, ask GDRFA Dubai on 800 5111 from within Dubai.
Imagine This: A Visitor on a Second Trip
The traveller here is made up. A visitor on a visa-on-arrival entry lands, scans the QR code and is told she is not eligible, because she has never been registered. She uses a counter, where she is registered. Six months later she lands again, runs the pre-check, sees she is eligible and walks through the gates. The only cost of the first visit was a few minutes at a counter.
Frequently asked questions
Does being ineligible affect my entry?
No. It only decides which lane you use, not whether you may enter.
Do the gates cost anything?
GDRFA Dubai states there are no additional fees.
Where to go next
- Smart Gates, Red Carpet and Click and Travel: who can use each
- Who cannot use the Smart Gates
- What to expect from a Click and Travel handheld check
Related guides
- Dubai Airport Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check: How to Use It Before Immigration
- 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
- Who Cannot Use Dubai Smart Gates: Under-15 and 1.2 Metre Rules
- Red Carpet Smart Tunnel at DXB: Enrolment, Eligibility and the 3.4-Second Check
