Originally Posted by
mrtdxb
Originally Posted by
SJPaul
I just picked up an e-gate card on my last trip through Dubai. I went to the office in the F/J departures area in T3. I had no trouble obtaining the card (this is the regular blue UAE-gate card, not affiliated with EK), but the immigration officer made it sound like my card was not "activated" because I had already departed the country (gone through passport control). I'm not a resident of Dubai, but I hold passport from a visa-waiver country.
Will I need to get my card activated before I can use it? If so, where can that be done?
I vaguely remember that in such cases you pitch up at the e-gate on arrival, try it and when it does not work the guy behind the desk will ask you to come over to see him and breathe some life into it for you ...
That was not my experience. I went to the same guy at the e-gate kiosks, and he stamped my passport and let me in, but he told me I have to go to the e-gate counter to get it programmed as he was not capable if doing so.
My understanding was he exists there as an immigration officer for those people that have a problem with their existing e-gate functionality.
OT, but when I travelled to Dubai with my family they allowed my family to clear customs with that guy since I have e-gate, which was awesome as the lines at all other immigrations counters were at least 20 minutes long.