UAE citizens and residents holding valid local driving licences can now obtain an IDP around the clock before departing from DXB.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates : UAE citizens and residents travelling abroad can now obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) in just five minutes directly at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
The round-the-clock service operates out of the Customer Happiness Centre located in Terminal 3 Arrivals. Launched jointly by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), and the Amer Customer Happiness Centre (Emirates Businessmen Services), the initiative enables motorists to secure their travel permits right before departing the country.
To secure an IDP, applicants must present an Emirates ID, a valid UAE driving licence, a copy of their passport, and a recent passport-sized photograph.
Once submitted, an automated digital network connecting the partner agencies verifies the applicant’s credentials in real time. The integration eliminates traditional administrative bottlenecks, allowing officials to process, approve, and issue the permit on the spot. The centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, catering to high-volume passenger traffic at one of the world’s busiest international travel hubs.
Major General Khalaf Ahmed Al Ghaith, Assistant Director General for Entry Permits and Residency at GDRFA Dubai, stated that the project is part of Dubai’s broader effort to integrate essential government transactions into a unified, smart travel ecosystem. Positioning the service directly at the terminal delivers proactive administrative support at the exact point of departure, streamlining the passenger journey.
Ahmed Mahboub, CEO of the Licensing Agency at the RTA, highlighted the service as an operational model for strategic collaboration between transport regulators and immigration authorities. By embedding transport licensing procedures into DXB Terminal 3, travellers facing last-minute overseas driving requirements no longer need to visit external branch offices or await courier delivery before their flights.
The launch aligns with the UAE government’s single-window digital integration strategy, which focuses on cutting bureaucratic steps and co-locating critical citizen services across transport, travel, and logistics corridors.
