E-Gate installation begins at INIA

Department if Immigration and Emigration has begun installing E-Gates at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

Information Officer of Immigration, Hassan Khaleel told Sun Media tonight that after the installation of the E-Gates are complete; the service would be first available to Maldivian nationals. And the service would be introduced to foreigners.

E-Gate service allows self-service while entering and leaving the country as opposed to an immigration officer checking passports.

To use an E-Gate, one simply scans the passport, touch for fingerprint and look at the installed camera.

Immigration said that they would stop stamping passports once the service begins.

“Without completing the procedure, the E-Gate won’t open. If so, that person cannot leave.” Khaleel said.

He said that the security at the airport would be multiplied when the E-Gate services are introduced and considerably reduce the number people that enter the country on false passports.

Khaleel said that the E-Gate system installations would be completed in about four days. He said that the service would begin after the new passport has been introduced this January.