Arriving passengers at Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC) are being greeted with a collectible immigration stamp featuring the UAE’s founding fathers, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) says the ‘Eid Al Etihad 2025’ stamp will be applied through 7 December as part of the country’s 54th-anniversary celebrations.
Uniformed officers and mascots are distributing flag lapel pins and posing for photos, turning the arrivals hall into a soft-power stage that reinforces the Emirates’ hospitality brand. Similar campaigns have highlighted Expo 2020, COP28 and other marquee events.
![Dubai airports issue limited-edition passport stamp to mark UAE’s 54th National Day]()
For frequent flyers the stamp is a novelty rather than a regulatory change, but mobility managers should be aware that National Day festivities coincide with one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Longer-than-usual queues were reported at peak bank-holiday arrival waves; premium-lane upgrades or meet-and-greet services may help executives on tight schedules.
The commemorative mark does not affect visa validity, exit-entry rules or overstay calculations, GDRFA confirmed.
Uniformed officers and mascots are distributing flag lapel pins and posing for photos, turning the arrivals hall into a soft-power stage that reinforces the Emirates’ hospitality brand. Similar campaigns have highlighted Expo 2020, COP28 and other marquee events.
For frequent flyers the stamp is a novelty rather than a regulatory change, but mobility managers should be aware that National Day festivities coincide with one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Longer-than-usual queues were reported at peak bank-holiday arrival waves; premium-lane upgrades or meet-and-greet services may help executives on tight schedules.
The commemorative mark does not affect visa validity, exit-entry rules or overstay calculations, GDRFA confirmed.
