Dubai to introduce facial recognition for visa application services soon

October 12, 2022 at 1:02 PM

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai, will provide all of its services through facial biometric recognition soon, Khaleej Times reported on Tuesday.

Once this project is fully implemented, Dubai residents will be able to apply for visas, and entry permits, even from home, using smartphones to verify themselves to obtain GDRFA service.

While speaking on the sidelines of Gitex Global 2022, Fatima Salem Al Mazroui, director of the project management office at GDRFA, told Khaleej Times that the authority is working on the project at a fast pace to launch as soon as possible.

“We aim to have all of GDRFA services and transactions processed through facial biometrics. Dubai residents will not be required to use a passport or any other document to verify themselves,” she said.

A facial biometric system has already been implemented at the airport when people use the smart gate if they’re registered.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) currently offers visa services, entry permits, residency services, and others. 

As foreign workers flock to Dubai, the emirate’s population surpassed the 3.5 million mark for the first time earlier this year.

Al Mazroui added that GDRFA launched a new version of its app which unifies its services in one application, allowing residents to contact the authority for any query. (NewsWire)