Originally Posted by
petit_manchot
You shouldn’t have any issues using the automated gates in Dubai. At any rate, there is an immigration official who sits just behind the gates, and if there are any issues you get waved through and they will stamp your passport. The US is one of the countries eligible to use the gates.
https://gulfbusiness.com/10-7-millio...airports-year/
Just to update. I was not able to use the automated gates at DXB. I talked with a couple of the officials there who told me that the Smart Gate system I was signed up for with my US Passport only works at AUH and Sharjah. Indeed when I flew out of AUH a few days later my passport worked fine at the automated gates.