PHOTO
24 January 2017
By Fazeena Saleem
Many have started benefiting from the recently introduced free e-gate service for expatriate passengers at the arrivals and departures terminal of the Hamad International Airport (HIA).
The Ministry of Interior activated the service in December last year and also a biometric data activation centre was set up two weeks ago for e-gate users.
Several expatriates, The Peninsula spoke to, expressed happiness over the move, saying the free e-gate service is convenient and helping them save time.
Expatriates claim that the e-gate service has helped to speed up immigration procedures as they are not required to wait in queues for the officers to manually check their details and stamp the passports.
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.
These procedures are completed through e-gate using automated machines within a very short time, according to expatriates who have benefitted from the e-gate service. Dharshan Goonethillaka, a bank employee said: “ I used the e-gate service last week and it was very fast and useful. All one has to do is swipe the Qatar ID, get eye scan and just go. It’s a super awesome service and everything was completed within couple of minutes.”
“It can be even more helpful in situations as when we reach the airport late for a departure, because the service is very fast and we don’t need to spend any time for immigration formalities. The e-gate service is one of the efficient services introduced at the HIA,” he added.
A long time Indian expatriate sharing his experience at HIA’s e-gate service said: “Finally, we no longer need to wait in long queues. E-gates are very quick and efficient. The whole procedure at the e-gate takes less than two minutes.”
At present 19 e-gates have been installed at the departures terminal and 16 at the arrival terminal. “I was not aware of the e-gate service at HIA and was waiting at the regular immigration queue which was pretty long and the airport officials directed me to the e gate. It was very fast and easy. It saved so much of time and prevented from standing after a long journey ,” said D'Souza a long time expatriate in Doha. Some expatriates who were using the e-gate service with a smart Qatari ID said the new free service is beneficial.
“I have been using the e- gate facility for some time because I don’t like waiting in queues. But the e-gate service was accessible to those who have subscribed to the Qatari smart ID card services for which had to pay an extra amount anually. It’s really good that with the new facility everyone could exit or enter from the e-gate fast and free of charge,” said a Kenyan expatriate. Ann Morris, a frequent traveller said: “Queues at HIA immigration can be long and take time. I have always used the e-gate facility and found it to be fast and convenient way to clear immigration. But on my recent trip I noticed that the e -gate is now very crowded as many people still getting used to it.”
By Fazeena Saleem
Many have started benefiting from the recently introduced free e-gate service for expatriate passengers at the arrivals and departures terminal of the Hamad International Airport (HIA).
The Ministry of Interior activated the service in December last year and also a biometric data activation centre was set up two weeks ago for e-gate users.
Several expatriates, The Peninsula spoke to, expressed happiness over the move, saying the free e-gate service is convenient and helping them save time.
Expatriates claim that the e-gate service has helped to speed up immigration procedures as they are not required to wait in queues for the officers to manually check their details and stamp the passports.
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.
These procedures are completed through e-gate using automated machines within a very short time, according to expatriates who have benefitted from the e-gate service. Dharshan Goonethillaka, a bank employee said: “ I used the e-gate service last week and it was very fast and useful. All one has to do is swipe the Qatar ID, get eye scan and just go. It’s a super awesome service and everything was completed within couple of minutes.”
“It can be even more helpful in situations as when we reach the airport late for a departure, because the service is very fast and we don’t need to spend any time for immigration formalities. The e-gate service is one of the efficient services introduced at the HIA,” he added.
A long time Indian expatriate sharing his experience at HIA’s e-gate service said: “Finally, we no longer need to wait in long queues. E-gates are very quick and efficient. The whole procedure at the e-gate takes less than two minutes.”
At present 19 e-gates have been installed at the departures terminal and 16 at the arrival terminal. “I was not aware of the e-gate service at HIA and was waiting at the regular immigration queue which was pretty long and the airport officials directed me to the e gate. It was very fast and easy. It saved so much of time and prevented from standing after a long journey ,” said D'Souza a long time expatriate in Doha. Some expatriates who were using the e-gate service with a smart Qatari ID said the new free service is beneficial.
“I have been using the e- gate facility for some time because I don’t like waiting in queues. But the e-gate service was accessible to those who have subscribed to the Qatari smart ID card services for which had to pay an extra amount anually. It’s really good that with the new facility everyone could exit or enter from the e-gate fast and free of charge,” said a Kenyan expatriate. Ann Morris, a frequent traveller said: “Queues at HIA immigration can be long and take time. I have always used the e-gate facility and found it to be fast and convenient way to clear immigration. But on my recent trip I noticed that the e -gate is now very crowded as many people still getting used to it.”
© The Peninsula 2017
