It probably depends on who serves you. I have just got residency and applied for the e-gate card. Was told that i could still use my Skywards Gold it would just need updating and save 200dhs. Asked about the problem with skywards e-gate only being for residents and she said no. There were a couple of guys in front of me who were issued with e-gate for their silver cards, had to pay though.

Here's a bit of an update and a word of potential caution:

a. Arrived at DXB, used e-gate, no problem at all. I am a passport holder of a visa-waiver country, not a uae resident. I have heard many have had problems with having their card rejected... I was expecting the same and was kind of surprised to see the doors open... lol

b. More importantly... I landed in DXB on August 10 and used my e-gate. On August 13, I drove from Dubai to Abu Dhabi to catch an EY flight. After checking in, I went to use my e-gate card to leave AUH but it kept denying me so I finally went to the passport control counter with my boarding pass, passport and e-gate card in hand.

The individual serving first looked through my passport for an arrival stamp, which he of course could not find. I informed him that there would not be one because I used e-gate when arriving in Dubai.

He then explained that while e-gate is issued to non-residents in Dubai, only residents can use this facility in Abu Dhabi and other emirates. I said thank you for explaining this and letting me know.

Then, when trying to 'exit' me from the UAE using my passport, it took him 93 (yes, ninety-three) minutes to be able to issue me an exit stamp on my passport. This, to me, sounds pathetic. In Dubai, even when I have entered using e-gate, they have been able to stamp my passport on the exit within 10 seconds.

It took 4 people and 15-plus calls to passport control at AUH, e-gate office in Dubai, and Ministry of Interior to be able to 'grant' me exit from the UAE.

It almost appeared to them that I had 'illegally' entered the UAE and was now trying to officially leave. I showed him my EK boarding pass showing that I did indeed arrive in DXB on August 10.

After them scrambling around to do whatever they needed to, the gentleman that was assisting me said, "were is not for your old boarding pass, we would not have let you leave UAE"... ...?

To me, this seems simple. If you do not see an entry stamp, you ask for a reason. If this does not work, you call e-gate for verification of usage/entry. If this is validated, issue an exit stamp and create an 'exit report' on your system.

-t.

Thanks for that. It would explain why my e-gate was rejected when I recently arrived in Shajah.

Cheers,
Rick

Wowzy! 93 minutes!
Did they serve you coffee/drink while you waited?

Unfortunately, they did not. It was EY245, so it was out of terminal 1A, which is pretty much as bare-bones as a terminal can get. They just offered me a seat in the check-in area while they 'worked things out'... lol

I calculated it was near 93 minutes because they finally let me go at 1615 and the flight was ready to take off at 1625, with EY still keeping my luggage on standby.

-t.

Left DXB on July 30 and used E-gate no problem

Returned August 13 and "Accessed Denied" went to counter and passport was stamped-- I asked if there was a problem and he said to speak to the e-gate people-- itwas midnight so I will do it thie week when leaving for JED. I do not have residency visa but am visa waiver country. It "could" be that my passport was due to expire in 3 months and 7 days and they wanted to check? It is now extended so I will have to visit them anyway.

I arrived back in the DXB last Tuesday and I also got the "Access Denied" message when using my e-gate card. I was told to go to an e-gate office. I am from a visa waiver country and do not have a residency visa.

I went to the e-gate office and they renewed my card without many problems. She showed me the computer screen where she had to issue me a new visa number and then she asked me if i knew that the visa has change to 30 days instead of 60 days.

Maybe they cancelled all 60 days non-residency e-gate cards, so that they can be renewed to the new 30 day visa. If they would just update the records in their computers, the person with the e-gate card will not have been informed that their visa has been reduced to 30 days and they might have problems with people overstaying without them knowing.

I had this too last week- and it was onfirmed that it just beeded to get renewed as it is a visit visa.

Has this issue re-surfaced???

A friend of mine was denied EXIT at DXB today when he went to use his e-gate that he arrived on 3 week ago. E-gate immigration agent said e-gate card expired on Feb 22 and that he had to go to e-gate-- and not just atmp him out as he arrived on e-gate. When he went to e-gate they tried to get him out with a "letter" showing his arrival by e-gate but no avail and then he waas told by both Immigration and E-gate (Terminal 1) that e-gate is only for Residence Visa holders.

I renewed (new Gold Card) 4 weeks ago with no problem and on visit visa. And I am in T3 lounge now.

He was still denied exit until his bags had been off loaded (Virgin) and then one of the immigration officers agreed as a one off to stamp him out. When asking about catching an EK flight immigration officer said he could not help with the problem if it arose at T3-- I told him he must of had some bad luck -

So... anyone else heard anything about the old Residents only issue coming back... I think this will go away- but raise the issue just incase. He is trying again tomorrow and wil let you know what I hear. (I was going to ask at E-gate T3 - but for the sake of my 2 week trip I decided not to--- just in case )

I went to the egate counter at immigration in Jebel Ali.. and told them I was planning to cancel my residence Visa.. and if my egate would work.

He explained that once the Residence Visa would be canceled I would have to leave the country.. and re-enter the traditional way.. but after re-entry I would have to stop back in and get a new card (free of charge) to re-use my egate... he said that this was only available to a citizen of one of the 33 privileged countries.

Did you ever do this?

Have been using E-Gate ever since it came in existence. No problems ever as long as my UAE Resident Visa is good. Any more I do not know.

Safe Flying

EGT

I finally got around to getting my eGate, just 2 weeks ago - not a problem - at departures, just after passport control.

I do not have a UAE residency visa.

I did try around a month ago and was told to go to arrivals to get it done, he couldn't do it as I didn't have an arrivals stamp in my passport, I.e. I had an exit stamp - basically he couldn't be bothered to do it, more interested in texting.

I have had an e gate pass, (got it on an upgraded Emirates flight) I do not hold a UAE residents visa but visit 3x a year into DXB, despite the fact that on about 4,5 separate attempts the system has not been working, I use the passport control desk at the e gate, which has less of a queue.
Then last time I was told my pass had to be renewed, it had expired and I had to pay to renew, you can only renew land side in DXB.
I used my e pass last April and it was fine, I am travelling in September again and will see what happens this time!

Any updates?? I am going to DXB in April and June( I've never left the airport before). I am travelling on a British passport and I am Skywards Gold. Is there any chance of getting an egate? Or Is that still for residents only?