Passengers landing at Dubai World Central this week are getting a special aviation-themed welcome: a commemorative passport stamp marking Dubai Airshow 2025. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA) confirmed on 18 November that all delegates and visitors entering the United Arab Emirates between 17 and 21 November will receive the limited-edition imprint at immigration counters.
The stamp carries the Airshow’s visual identity under the slogan “The Future Is Here”, reinforcing Dubai’s ambition to position itself as a global hub for aerospace innovation. Lieutenant-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA-Dubai, said the gesture “symbolises the UAE’s hospitality and highlights our cutting-edge, guest-centric border services.” It also showcases the growing cooperation between GDRFA and Dubai Airports, which jointly handle more than 240,000 passengers a day across DXB and DWC.
![GDRFA rolls out commemorative passport stamp for Dubai Airshow 2025 arrivals]()
For business travellers and aviation professionals, the stamp is more than a souvenir. It signals that Dubai is leveraging mega-events to test seamless-travel initiatives ahead of the emirate’s planned five-runway super-airport. Delegates arriving on chartered and commercial flights reported that immigration officers completed stamping within seconds thanks to Smart Gate integration.
Corporate mobility managers should note that similar promotional stamps are expected for next year’s COP 29 climate summit and the 2026 World Chambers Congress. Travellers who prefer to keep their passports pristine can request the stamp on a separate slip, but must do so before presenting documents at the counter.
The Airshow itself has already generated billions of dollars in aircraft orders and will feature live demonstrations of the next-generation biometric passport-control pods that Dubai aims to deploy by 2026. In the words of one delegate from Singapore: “The stamp is a small touch, but it reminds us that border control can be both efficient and welcoming.”
The stamp carries the Airshow’s visual identity under the slogan “The Future Is Here”, reinforcing Dubai’s ambition to position itself as a global hub for aerospace innovation. Lieutenant-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA-Dubai, said the gesture “symbolises the UAE’s hospitality and highlights our cutting-edge, guest-centric border services.” It also showcases the growing cooperation between GDRFA and Dubai Airports, which jointly handle more than 240,000 passengers a day across DXB and DWC.
For business travellers and aviation professionals, the stamp is more than a souvenir. It signals that Dubai is leveraging mega-events to test seamless-travel initiatives ahead of the emirate’s planned five-runway super-airport. Delegates arriving on chartered and commercial flights reported that immigration officers completed stamping within seconds thanks to Smart Gate integration.
Corporate mobility managers should note that similar promotional stamps are expected for next year’s COP 29 climate summit and the 2026 World Chambers Congress. Travellers who prefer to keep their passports pristine can request the stamp on a separate slip, but must do so before presenting documents at the counter.
The Airshow itself has already generated billions of dollars in aircraft orders and will feature live demonstrations of the next-generation biometric passport-control pods that Dubai aims to deploy by 2026. In the words of one delegate from Singapore: “The stamp is a small touch, but it reminds us that border control can be both efficient and welcoming.”
