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-   Emirates | Skywards (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-skywards-490/)
-   -   Difference between Smart Gates and eGates? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-skywards/1849134-difference-between-smart-gates-egates.html)

g289t Jul 8, 2019 4:29 am
Originally Posted by DYKWIA (Post 31280648)
The first time you go through, go to a normal queue and ask to be registered for SmartGates. They'll do that for you there and then, and put a sticker on the back of your passport. Subsequently, you can just use the smart gates.
I haven't done this, but I read in the comment section of an article about SmartGates on onemileatatime.com that you can sign up at the SmartGates. The commenter said to go to SmartGates and scan your passport as if you are already signed up. It will of course not work. You will be directed to an agent nearby who will sign you up. This saves waiting in line at regular immigration.

Again, I haven't done this, so I cannot vouch for it. The article is also several years old.

DYKWIA Jul 8, 2019 6:31 am
Originally Posted by g289t (Post 31280681)
I haven't done this, but I read in the comment section of an article about SmartGates on onemileatatime.com that you can sign up at the SmartGates. The commenter said to go to SmartGates and scan your passport as if you are already signed up. It will of course not work. You will be directed to an agent nearby who will sign you up. This saves waiting in line at regular immigration.

Again, I haven't done this, so I cannot vouch for it. The article is also several years old.
Possibly. Although the last time I went through T3, somebody checked I'd got the SmartGate sticker on my passport before I went to the gates. Not sure if this is normal - and it didn't happen my last time at T1.

Global Adventurer Jul 8, 2019 7:01 am
Originally Posted by DYKWIA (Post 31280972)
Possibly. Although the last time I went through T3, somebody checked I'd got the SmartGate sticker on my passport before I went to the gates. Not sure if this is normal - and it didn't happen my last time at T1.
I'm arriving at T3, and to avoid any possible hassle, I'll just proceed to the regular immigration que as you previously indicated and process from there.

thijsseh Jul 8, 2019 8:12 am
Back in March I entered Dubai for an STPC. Went through normal immigration and asked the immigration guy if I could register for smart gate at the same time. He nodded and put a sticker on my passport, did not appear to do anything else. Some 8 hours later I tried to go through the smart gate when leaving the country. It did not recognise my passport and I was directed to an immigration officer who quickly processed and stamped my passport. Two possibilities: I was never registered on arrival or the registration takes some time to propagate through the system and my short stay was not sufficient to do this.
Any similar experiences?

ElJudioErrante Jul 8, 2019 8:53 am
Originally Posted by thijsseh (Post 31281276)
Back in March I entered Dubai for an STPC. Went through normal immigration and asked the immigration guy if I could register for smart gate at the same time. He nodded and put a sticker on my passport, did not appear to do anything else. Some 8 hours later I tried to go through the smart gate when leaving the country. It did not recognise my passport and I was directed to an immigration officer who quickly processed and stamped my passport. Two possibilities: I was never registered on arrival or the registration takes some time to propagate through the system and my short stay was not sufficient to do this.
Any similar experiences?
You were not registered before the guy erroneously stickered your PP.

kq747 Jul 8, 2019 8:59 am
Originally Posted by ElJudioErrante (Post 31281444)
You were not registered before the guy erroneously stickered your PP.
Is the sticker a new thing? I though I registered back in 2015 but do not believe i got a sticker and have not entered Dubai since so I cant tell if I am registered. Is there a way to check other than attempting to use the smart gate? Im flying in Sat evening and leaving a few hours later; if I ask to be registered on arrival, will I be able to use the smart tunnel on exit or does it take a while for the system to add you?

skywardhunter Jul 8, 2019 9:39 am
Originally Posted by thijsseh (Post 31281276)
Back in March I entered Dubai for an STPC. Went through normal immigration and asked the immigration guy if I could register for smart gate at the same time. He nodded and put a sticker on my passport, did not appear to do anything else. Some 8 hours later I tried to go through the smart gate when leaving the country. It did not recognise my passport and I was directed to an immigration officer who quickly processed and stamped my passport. Two possibilities: I was never registered on arrival or the registration takes some time to propagate through the system and my short stay was not sufficient to do this.
Any similar experiences?
There's been reports before of several hours delay in registration taking effect

ps107 Jul 8, 2019 12:14 pm
Originally Posted by DYKWIA (Post 31280972)
Possibly. Although the last time I went through T3, somebody checked I'd got the SmartGate sticker on my passport before I went to the gates. Not sure if this is normal - and it didn't happen my last time at T1.
I was glad the guy didn't sticker my passport as I'm a bit OCD with these sorts of things. I have made it past the sticker checkers every time by just mumbling "smart gate" but lately have been able to just walk towards the gates without being checked.

The only time Smart Gate hasn't worked for me was at DWC, but that's largely irrelevant now that the runway maintenance at DXB is complete.

Fly_IAD Jul 11, 2019 5:12 am
Originally Posted by petit_manchot (Post 31267515)




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.

eternaltransit Jul 12, 2019 7:11 am
I think the sticker is new - I scan passport page and it prompts me for iris scan.

Back when I had an unexpired e-gate card, presenting that asked for fingerprints.

kq747 Sep 15, 2019 8:23 am
Originally Posted by kq747 (Post 31281466)
Is the sticker a new thing? I though I registered back in 2015 but do not believe i got a sticker and have not entered Dubai since so I cant tell if I am registered. Is there a way to check other than attempting to use the smart gate? Im flying in Sat evening and leaving a few hours later; if I ask to be registered on arrival, will I be able to use the smart tunnel on exit or does it take a while for the system to add you?
Just remembered to update: I was able to use smart gate on entry without any sticker and no one seemed to be checking. On exit, I got an error and used the regular counter but no line.

g289t Sep 15, 2019 7:35 pm
Originally Posted by skywardhunter (Post 31281618)
There's been reports before of several hours delay in registration taking effect
I registered for Smart Gates last week on a short layover. I was processed through entry immigration as I was signed up. I immediately returned airside as I had a flight to catch so I used Smart Gates. It worked, 15 minutes or so after I was registered.

MaxFlyer Sep 29, 2019 2:54 am
I’m assuming that it doesn’t matter if you register in AUH or DXB ad they are both part of the UAE and that you can use the Smart Gates at either airport?

ft101 Sep 29, 2019 11:55 pm
Originally Posted by MaxFlyer (Post 31574963)
I’m assuming that it doesn’t matter if you register in AUH or DXB ad they are both part of the UAE and that you can use the Smart Gates at either airport?
I have previously read that is correct, but the post just 4 above yours (!) indicates otherwise. Maybe depends on passport?

JamesKidd Sep 30, 2019 4:04 am
Originally Posted by MaxFlyer (Post 31574963)
I’m assuming that it doesn’t matter if you register in AUH or DXB ad they are both part of the UAE and that you can use the Smart Gates at either airport?
My understanding is it depends on type of document used for registration. If registered using Emirates ID, then it should work at both AUH and DXB, regardless of where it was registered. If registered using just passport from eligible countries, then it will only work at airport it was registered in.

This is how I understood it used to work, it may have changed


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