Dubai International Airport (DXB) is bracing for one of the busiest weeks of the year, and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) is taking no chances. From 25 to 29 May 2026—covering the entire Eid Al Adha break—all passport-control counters in Terminal 3 will operate around the clock. The move, first reported by local outlet Dubai Today, is designed to prevent the kilometre-long queues that can build up when dozens of wide-body aircraft land within minutes of one another. Terminal 3 is Emirates’ mega-hub and routinely handles more than 100,000 passengers a day; during Eid that figure can spike by a further 20-25 percent. Round-the-clock staffing means the overnight “thin” window—typically from midnight to 06:00—has been eliminated.
DXB’s operators expect the biggest pressure at three arrival banks: early morning inbound flights from Europe, midday regional connectors from South Asia, and the late-night Africa–Asia transfer wave. By keeping every booth staffed, authorities aim to hold median wait times below 15 minutes and ensure that baggage, customs, taxi ranks and connecting flights remain on schedule.
![Dubai keeps Terminal 3 immigration counters open 24/7 during the Eid travel surge]()
Travellers who want to avoid any last-minute hiccups at immigration can also get a head start online: VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines tourist and business-visa applications, letting passengers arrive at Terminal 3 with the right documents already in hand and one less queue to worry about.
For corporate mobility teams the change offers tangible benefits. Business travellers landing on red-eye services can now connect to early-morning meetings without factoring in unpredictable immigration delays. Airlines and travel-management companies (TMCs) are already revising their “minimum connection time” (MCT) guidance for the five-day window, and hotel revenue managers expect a higher share of guests to check-in before dawn—something normally discouraged by late-night passport queues. The 24/7 plan also reduces operational risk for companies moving freight crews and critical technicians who fly in for short, time-sensitive assignments. GDRFA has confirmed that its e-gate and smart-gate lanes will remain active, but reminds travellers that first-time registrants must still see an officer. Employers are therefore urging assignees to enrol in the smart-gate programme in advance to maximise the benefit of the extended hours. Finally, the authorities stress that “24/7” does not mean “queue-free.” Peak-hour congestion can still occur, particularly if regional airspace disruptions force unscheduled diversions into DXB. Mobility managers are advising staff to reach the airport at least three hours before departure and to allow extra buffer when booking onward regional flights during the holiday period.
DXB’s operators expect the biggest pressure at three arrival banks: early morning inbound flights from Europe, midday regional connectors from South Asia, and the late-night Africa–Asia transfer wave. By keeping every booth staffed, authorities aim to hold median wait times below 15 minutes and ensure that baggage, customs, taxi ranks and connecting flights remain on schedule.
Travellers who want to avoid any last-minute hiccups at immigration can also get a head start online: VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines tourist and business-visa applications, letting passengers arrive at Terminal 3 with the right documents already in hand and one less queue to worry about.
For corporate mobility teams the change offers tangible benefits. Business travellers landing on red-eye services can now connect to early-morning meetings without factoring in unpredictable immigration delays. Airlines and travel-management companies (TMCs) are already revising their “minimum connection time” (MCT) guidance for the five-day window, and hotel revenue managers expect a higher share of guests to check-in before dawn—something normally discouraged by late-night passport queues. The 24/7 plan also reduces operational risk for companies moving freight crews and critical technicians who fly in for short, time-sensitive assignments. GDRFA has confirmed that its e-gate and smart-gate lanes will remain active, but reminds travellers that first-time registrants must still see an officer. Employers are therefore urging assignees to enrol in the smart-gate programme in advance to maximise the benefit of the extended hours. Finally, the authorities stress that “24/7” does not mean “queue-free.” Peak-hour congestion can still occur, particularly if regional airspace disruptions force unscheduled diversions into DXB. Mobility managers are advising staff to reach the airport at least three hours before departure and to allow extra buffer when booking onward regional flights during the holiday period.
