That was meant for T1

Did it work out?

Quite a story, but in the end it worked out. After arrival in T3 I went up to departure level and eventually found the registration desk. THe entire team had disappeared for dinner. 10 minutes they slouched back and after another 5 minutes it was my turn. First the gentleman spent full 5 minutes looking at every page of my passport and then said he wouldn't register me as my passport wouldn't have an entry stamp. I showed him that it had. Then he spent anoter full 5 minutes searching me in the immigration records. Didn't find me. Turned to his colleagues, who searched as well until he realized that he had my first and family names mixed up. Finally found me. Back to the first guy. Did the entire procedure of putting my thumbs. Waited. Nothing happened. He said that the machine was broken and tried again. Thumbs, phone number, etc. Again, after a long wait, he declared that his system was broken and that I should try again next morning.

This morning I went to the same counter in departure hall, wanted to do it before immigration so I could try if it worked at departure. Same guy. "Maybe it works today". I waited for the gentleman in front of me to finish, then approached the counter. But behind me about 15 people exclaimed that they were waiting as well. So I gave up, went over to the F/C Terminal, went through immigration with my passport, went to the registration office, and 3 minutes later it was done.

My obsession to have it done for a usage on this trip has cost me easily 30-40 minutes of wasted time. I only have myself to blame.:mad:

So there aren't any before immigration on arrivals then. The F/C Terminal desk is the best as its always quite (sometimes even the lights are off). My guess most F/C customers either don't do it due to small Qs or already have it so nobody rushes to register especially after you have already cleared immigration !

Another experience to add to the list.

I found this easy (I'd previously held a regular e-gate card issued before arrivals in T1, and renewed in the office upstairs at T1, but these had expired). Once through arrivals in T3 I headed upstairs to the economy departures area (the lifts are the quickest way) and went to the Residency/Visa Desk - I'm not sure what the right term is, but a small office with desk right in the middle of the concourse before entering any of the checkin areas. It's near the duty free shop.

Go to the left hand counter and they will help you, they can issue both regular e-gate cards and put your details onto an Skywards Gold card. Took only a few minutes.

As a general comment I've noticed there are some snide remarks about service from Emiratis on immigration counters etc. In my experience on many, many trips through the UAE a smile goes a long way, and getting my e-gate card is no different. Lighten up folks!

FYI

Anyone that lives in the UAE can go to DNATA on SZR and pay 200 dizzles for an e-gate card.

The last thing I want to do in DXB airport is look for the e-gate office.

Phil

Any updates as I can see the last message posted was 5 months ago?

I'll register my gold card on the 28th flying from DEL back to DXB. I'll keep you posted.

Is there an E Gate office in the First/Business class check in area in Terminal 3 before going through immigration or do you have to go throughh Immigration and into the Terminal to find it?

There is one but it is right after immigration !!

Ah cheers for the info Zol. I remeber which one you are talking about, just on the right after immigration yes? The few times I tried to use it was empty! probably a relection that most of my flights are early morning the the locals cannot be bothered working at that time!

I find that most of the time they are on duty just not on their desk. If you go in to the office, someone will appear eventually

Will try today at 11pm, I'll update you once done!

I'll be transiting next Monday night, so what's the easy way to find an office in the 'secured' zone (departing) ?

It seems that my EK382 to HKG on Tuesday early morning is running an A380, so I'll be flying from T3A. So any office between BC arrival/transfer and departing A gates. It would be great to get it working before my return as I got an overnight stop on my way back.

As far as I know there isn't one airside. But if you have plenty of time you can go down to immigration then back up again.

I know what to do with my 3 hours layover now... and it will help my diet not eating Hägen Dazs in the Lounge :)

So went through immigration at Terminal 3 First/BC checkin, E-gate desk unmaned, went into the office only to be laughed at by two Emirati's telling me its only done in the morning. Typical lazy attitude the locals have, if only they had no oil they'd actually have to do a proper job at work. Gits

How do you get a magic "E" Gate card?
 

Hi All, I have been trying to find out how I can register for an "E" Gate card. I am EK Gold and according to EK website as a UK passport holder I can get my mits on one of these "E" gate things. Can anyone offer any advise about how I do this?

You need your passport, residence visa page, emirates ID card a passport photo and about 160 dirhams and go to the office at dnata on szr or at the airport, takes 5 minutes.

Uh... It's free for Golds.

If at the airport, get out... Go to the departure entrance doors (close to drop off area). There's a big yellow desk in the middle before the checking area, with emiratis in traditional outfit. That's the right place.
10mn to get their attention, 2 mn to issue it. Passport and Gold card needed.

The other tricky part: you don't need the gold card to go thru E-gates, only your boarding pass !

I just received an email - e-gate can now be applied to *any* Skywards card. I assume you have to pay if you're not gold.

Just to point out - you don't be need to have an Emirati Id card. As long as you are from an eligible country, you will be OK.

Do you have to go through the process each year when you get your new EK card?

When you get the card !

Yes...

Here the desk you're looking for:

http://imageshack.us/a/img577/2195/ycuc.th.jpg

Does one need a UAE resident visa? I assume all countries that can visit UAE visa free are eligible?

That's funny, when I read that in the newsletter I read it as free for all. Didn't think of it as enabled on all cards but you would need to pay if not Gold or Platinum but you are most probably correct.

You are correct. Complimentary egate for all skywards members irrespective of tier as per the august newsletter. I don't know if its a typo as DXB is going to lose a lot of money if this is the case as a significant number of pax flying to DXB use EK anyway.

The exact wording is

With complimentary e-gate now available on all Emirates Skywards membership cards, for eligible nationalities, you can enjoy a more convenient travel experience at Dubai International Airport.

Yes - residence visa required for non-visa waiver countries, and yes - visa-waiver countries are eligible even if not residence visa holders (my s/o, who has an American passport but no residence visa like me, just got her E-Gate card no questions asked at DXB T1 departures).

Mine there was a link saying:
"Sail through Dubai Immigration in seconds
Check if you qualify for e-gate"

that brings you to: http://www.emirates.com/FR/english/h...?faqId=1127032

And it is clearly said: "E-gate is available to all Emirates Skywards members over 18 years old, residing in the United Arab Emirates, or nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council or of the UAE's visa waiver countries..."

Means you can register because the latest cards have magnetic strip (even the blue), but still need to pay if you're not Gold / Plat.

Thanks for the information. I have Hong Kong passport, so, I guess I am eligible. How do you register at T1 departures? It would be very handy for long connection, and, I just realized some North American and European carriers refused to tag the bags on the EK flight from DXB if that is on a separate ticket!!! :mad: I missed my EK connection at DXB last week due to the 2.5 - 3 hrs UAE immigration and I already left 5 hrs between flights.

May I suggest that you book the Marhaba Meet and Greet service that should help you speed through immigration. I do this as a matter of course for all my friends and relations when they visit to ensure that if there is a queue when they arrive they do not get held up for long. You can do this on line - when their system is working that is ...

Thanks for your suggestion. I will keep that in mind and consider it next time.

Does anyone know if that EGate card is usable only with EK flights or can it be used with any flights in/out DXB? I in general only use EK to/from DXB and connect to CX/SQ/TG/BA/LH for the long haul. Say can I us it to enter/exit Dubai if I am flying DOH (EK) DXB (SQ) Asia?

It is not linked to EK but rather UAE immigration.

Is your s/o holding a Gold card or above with a card that shows a special logo? I do not recall I ever saw any Blue/Silver cards marked for E-Gate, my relative over in Dubai told me that eligible for E-gate has a E-gate logo at the back.

Silver is definitively compatible with E gates. But it will cost 160 AED.

Sorry, we just paid AED 200 and got a regular card as she doesn't have a physical Skywards cards yet (she is exclusively a oneworld flyer, much like me these days). In the past, when I was EK Gold, I did activate the E-Gate on that using my residence visa, which was free.

E-Gate Card Registration
 

Does anyone know where can I register the Skywards card for E-Gate at Dubai Airport? I could not find the counter in T3. There is a second location listed as T1 food court (I did not find that one either), is it the food court above the Duty Free Shop? In the letter that Emirates sent, there was a place called DNATA Deira, but there are 2 DNATA in Deira per their website: DNATA Deira City Center and DNATA Deira Tower. Which one is it? (I will be staying close to City Center.) What time do these offices open? Thanks.