Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) has swapped the queues of its Al-Jafiliya headquarters for the fun-fair atmosphere of Global Village. From 5 January to 5 February 2026, the authority will run a fully-fledged immigration kiosk inside the popular theme park under a new public-service campaign branded “Closer to You”.
The temporary centre is staffed by multilingual officers and fitted with mobile point-of-sale terminals and self-service kiosks. Visitors can renew or cancel residency visas, apply for new entry permits, pay overstay fines on the spot and even register their passports for Smart Gate use—all while enjoying the park’s shows and food stalls.
GDRFA processed 2.2 million e-transactions in 2025. Officials say the roadshow is designed to push that figure higher by “meeting customers where they socialise rather than where they work”. The authority expects footfall at Global Village—forecast to top 200,000 on peak weekends—to translate into thousands of extra transactions and reduced pressure on its permanent service halls.
![GDRFA launches month-long pop-up immigration centre at Dubai’s Global Village]()
For travellers and employers seeking a more hands-off alternative, VisaHQ can handle most UAE visa formalities online, from tourist and business entries to residency documents. Its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets users upload paperwork, track real-time status and receive expert support, meaning a quick stop at the Global Village kiosk may be all that’s left for biometrics or final stamping.
For corporate mobility teams the pop-up offers a welcome safety-valve during Dubai’s peak visitor season. HR managers can dispatch assignees or family dependants to Global Village after office hours, avoiding the weekday rush at government counters. Travel-management companies are already alerting clients that Smart Gate enrolment can now be completed in minutes, sharply reducing arrival-hall queues for frequent flyers.
Practical tip: companies scheduling bulk renewals during January should book Global Village entry tickets in advance and remind employees that standard park security checks apply. All immigration receipts are issued electronically and—crucially—are fully recognised in the GDRFA backend system, so no follow-up visit is needed.
The temporary centre is staffed by multilingual officers and fitted with mobile point-of-sale terminals and self-service kiosks. Visitors can renew or cancel residency visas, apply for new entry permits, pay overstay fines on the spot and even register their passports for Smart Gate use—all while enjoying the park’s shows and food stalls.
GDRFA processed 2.2 million e-transactions in 2025. Officials say the roadshow is designed to push that figure higher by “meeting customers where they socialise rather than where they work”. The authority expects footfall at Global Village—forecast to top 200,000 on peak weekends—to translate into thousands of extra transactions and reduced pressure on its permanent service halls.
For travellers and employers seeking a more hands-off alternative, VisaHQ can handle most UAE visa formalities online, from tourist and business entries to residency documents. Its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets users upload paperwork, track real-time status and receive expert support, meaning a quick stop at the Global Village kiosk may be all that’s left for biometrics or final stamping.
For corporate mobility teams the pop-up offers a welcome safety-valve during Dubai’s peak visitor season. HR managers can dispatch assignees or family dependants to Global Village after office hours, avoiding the weekday rush at government counters. Travel-management companies are already alerting clients that Smart Gate enrolment can now be completed in minutes, sharply reducing arrival-hall queues for frequent flyers.
Practical tip: companies scheduling bulk renewals during January should book Global Village entry tickets in advance and remind employees that standard park security checks apply. All immigration receipts are issued electronically and—crucially—are fully recognised in the GDRFA backend system, so no follow-up visit is needed.
