Dhaka Airport e-Gate Immigration Rules 2026: Automated Clearance for e-Passport Holders
Automated electronic gates (e-Gates) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) Terminal 1, 2, and 3 allow Bangladeshi e-Passport holders to clear immigration in under 20 seconds without standing in long officer queues. The gate combines optical passport reading, facial biometrics, and fingerprint matching.
1. What is an e-Gate & Who Is Eligible to Use It?
An e-Gate is a self-service biometric security gate integrated directly with the Department of Immigration & Passports and Special Branch (SB) criminal databases.
- Eligible: Bangladeshi citizens holding valid e-Passports traveling for tourism, business, study, or overseas employment with valid BMET clearance.
- Not Eligible: Passengers with older Machine Readable Passports (MRP) or handwritten emergency passports must use standard police counters.
2. 3 Easy Steps to Pass Through the e-Gate
Step 1: Scan Passport Photo Page
Open your e-passport to the polycarbonate photo page. Place it face-down firmly on the optical glass scanner. Hold it steady for 3 seconds. Once read, the first transparent glass barrier door slides open.
Step 2: Step Inside & Face the Camera
Step into the middle of the glass booth onto the designated yellow footprints. Remove sunglasses, masks, or caps. Look directly at the overhead camera lens for 2 seconds for facial recognition.
Step 3: Biometric Fingerprint & Exit
If prompted, place your right index finger onto the glowing green fingerprint glass pad. Once verified against your passport chip, the exit barrier slides open automatically.
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โ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is an e-Gate and who can use automated e-Gates at Dhaka Airport? โผ
An e-Gate (electronic gate) is an automated biometric border clearance system. Bangladeshi citizens holding valid biometric electronic passports (e-Passports) can use the e-Gates at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for self-service departure and arrival immigration clearance in under 30 seconds.
2. Can Machine Readable Passport (MRP) holders use the automated e-Gates? โผ
No. Traditional Machine Readable Passport (MRP) booklets lack the embedded contactless biometric microchip. MRP holders must queue at standard police officer immigration booths for manual clearance.
3. What happens if the e-Gate camera fails to recognize a passenger's face? โผ
If facial recognition fails due to glasses, hats, or lighting, the first barrier door remains locked and alerts the supervising immigration officer standing beside the e-Gate bank, who will verify your identity manually without loss of queue position.