Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) has announced the
forming of a working committee to study the possibility of IT connectivity
between Dubai International Airport and London's Heathrow Airport.
The announcement was made at a press conference today (Thursday, November 10, 2005), to mark the conclusion of the 18th edition of the Simplifying Passenger Travel Interest Group (SPTIG) Conference that was held at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. The press conference was attended by Brigadier Saeed Matar Bin Beleilah, Director, DNRD, Lt. Col. Khaled Lootah, Assistant Director, IT Department and Total Quality Management, DNRD and Georgina Graham, Program Director, SPT.
The newly formed working committee will include representatives from Dubai
Customs, Dubai Civil Aviation, Emirates Airlines, DNRD and Dubai Police.
The findings of the study conducted by the working committee will be presented to the concerned authorities to take necessary follow-up measures.
During the SPTIG Conference, DNRD also discussed the feasibility of using
the eGate system to enter the United Kingdom. The three-day conference
mainly revolved around discussing measures to simplify the process of air
travel in the UAE.
"The SPTIG Conference, the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East
has been an overwhelming success," said Brigadier Saeed Matar Bin Belaila.
"The main focus of the conference was to exchange views and ideas with
participants to make sure that air travelers in the region were provided
with the best possible services during the course of their journey. DNRD
has been committed to supporting the major inflow of tourists to Dubai
from all over the world, by ensuring that air passengers going through
the routine procedures at airports are not inconvenienced in any way."
"Our aim to provide IT connectivity between UAE ports of entry and the
Heathrow Airport is the first step towards establishing better coordination
between various airports of the world, which will in turn help in simplifying
passenger air travel," he added.
DNRD is planning to extend the scope of its eGate service by linking it
with the eGate system in the UK. As a first step, it will try the feasibility
of this project by sending selected passengers to UK, with the eGate card.
If this proves successful in the UK, the service will gradually be extended
to other countries. The use of eGate technology would ensure that passengers
do not queue up at the immigration counters at the airport to get their
passports stamped with entry or exit stamps.
Lt. Col. Khaled Lootah said, "DNRD has been striving to adopt the most
up-to-date IT solutions to promote its services to clients in the UAE,
which has helped in positioning UAE as a leading business and tourist destination
in the region. Hosting the SPTIG Conference in Dubai has enabled us to
exchange expertise, while facilitating the adoption of latest technologies,
in line with those used in developed countries. DNRD is keen on making
the department one of the most technologically advanced in the world."
The SPTIG Conference, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin
Saeed Al Maktoum, the Director of Civil Aviation Authority and President
of Emirates Group, was attended by 75 members from SPTIG, comprising airport representatives, IT and systems suppliers, representatives from airlines
and government officials. The conference is sponsored by DNRD, Dubai Airport,
SPTIG and Datel, a Dubai based technology service provider, which attended
the conference as an IT and systems supplier and member of SPTIG.
The SPTIG Conference is a worldwide event, with its primary target audience
being SPTIG members, who focus on the development of air transport systems
as a whole, and implement standards and introduce advanced technology.
"DNRD is ranked fourth in the world for the services it offers at Dubai
International Airport, which is known for its facilities and quality of
infrastructure. The airport uses the most advanced technology like the
iris scanner, and is fully equipped to handle the rapid growth of tourist
inflow into Dubai. The SPTIG Conference has been an excellent platform
for all participants to come together and address various issues pertaining
to simplifying passenger travel and we thank SPTIG members for their contribution and efforts," concluded Bin Belaila.
Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD), was established in
1971. It consists of 12 Sections, six of which are main sections located
within the premises of the administration, namely: Naturalization and Passports Section, Entry Permits Section, Residency Section, Investigation and Control Section, Administration and Finance Section and Information Technology Section. The other six sections are spread over Dubai and neighbouring area and include Dubai Airport passports Section, Rashid Port Passports Section, Shindagha Port Passports Section, Hamriyah port Passports Section, Jebel Ali Port Passports Section and Hatta Passports Section.
DNRD has recently installed a fast-track electronic passport control system
at the Dubai International Airport, eGate that offers card-operated access
to the airport to travellers through pre-registration. eGate helps passengers
complete passport control within a few seconds, using an electronically
operated foolproof fingerprint identification system. Dubai Airport is
the first airport in the Middle East and the third in the world to install
such an advanced passenger clearance system.
