“Passengers are free to choose either to pass through the e-gates or through immigration desk in order to finalize their travel procedures,” she said.
GCC delegations praised the new service introduced for GCC citizens considered as a quality leap to alleviate the onus from passports staff at the airport enabling speedier passenger identification in contrast with the currently applicable conventional methods.
The GCC delegations, accompanied by specialists from the Central Informatics Organization, visited the Departures Hall in Bahrain International Airport and had the opportunity to pass through the e-gates.
The Qatari delegation members passed easily through the e-gate as soon as they finished recording their biometric data. This is experience considered a success during the first application of the project for GCC citizens to travel within GCC countries passing through e-gates. The GCC delegations praised the accuracy of programs developed by the Central Informatics Organization that provide facilities to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s visitors especially our brethren the GCC citizens.
The GCC delegation’s visit comes within framework of mutual cooperation among GCC countries for implementation of the recommendations made by the Smart Card Guidance Committee in the GCC countries which recommended during its 7th meeting the formation of a work team comprising representatives from the GCC members states to follow up the application of the Smart Card Reader programme in GCC ports and e-gates.
“E-gates application will be tried in the Sultanate of Oman soon. The date to commence application of e-gates at Qatar International Airport will be announced later on by our brothers from the State of Qatar. The Qatari delegation comprised Colonel Abdurrahman Al-Maliki, 1st Lt. Ahmed Al-Hammer. The Omani delegation comprised Major Mohyi Al-Din Al-Bu Sa’eedi and 1st Lt. Nasser Al-Hossani.”