Doha: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has urged residents, who have renewed their passports, to update their data through data devices at Hamad International Airport or at the General Directorate of Passports or other service centers so that they can use the e-gate facility at the airport.
The ministry tweeted on their official Arabic Twitter account that now all residents with valid Resident ID can use the electronic gates (e-gate) at Hamad International Airport for departure and arrival. There are no charges for this service.
نلفت انتباه جميع المقيمين الذين قاموا بتجديد جوازات سفرهم، الى أهمية تحديث بياناتهم عبرأجهزة البيانات الحيوية #الداخلية_قطر
— وزارة الداخلية - قطر (@MOI_Qatar) May 1, 2017
This helps in reducing crowd at the immigration counters and residents can save a lot of time. Many travellers were seen praising the free e-gate facility on social media for its swiftness and ease-of-use.
Family with kids under the age of 18 can’t use the e-gate.
The e-gate service is accessible to expatriates above 18 years of age, using their Qatari ID cards. They are required to scan the ID card on the card reader machine installed at e-gate followed by finger print or eye scan (retina scan). If data on the ID and biometrics/ retina matches, the system will open the gate.
Every resident is urged to get their fingerprint scanned at the small office situated near the departure gates. The process is very fast and gets over in less than 1-2 minutes. After this registration one can use the fingerprint scanner to pass through the e-gates and this is much more efficient and easier than retina scan.
