The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai continues to reinforce its strategic role in supporting the emirate’s economic expansion by advancing a comprehensive digital ecosystem for identity, residency and border management. This approach aligns closely with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy and position it among the world’s top three global economic cities.

As Dubai accelerates toward these ambitious targets, border management and travel-related services are emerging as central pillars of economic momentum. Projections indicate that the aviation sector alone is expected to contribute around 45 percent of Dubai’s GDP by 2030, underscoring the critical importance of efficient entry and exit systems in sustaining trade flows, attracting investments and supporting business continuity.

A Broader Economic Role

Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, emphasized that the entity’s achievements reflect a shift beyond traditional service delivery. He noted that the advanced identity and residency ecosystem developed by Dubai Residency now serves as a fundamental pillar of economic growth by accelerating procedures, enhancing government integration and creating a flexible, business-friendly environment.

He highlighted that the Directorate’s strategy is aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the UAE’s broader vision of building an innovation-driven, efficiency-based economy capable of competing globally.

Digital Excellence in Action

In 2025, institutional performance indicators demonstrated the tangible economic impact of Dubai Residency’s digital transformation. More than 70 million transactions were processed using digital technologies and artificial intelligence within a fully digital operational environment. This 100 percent digital service model has significantly reduced processing times, increased operational efficiency and ensured seamless travel, trade and investment flows.

In addition, the Directorate recorded over 500 million government integration and connectivity processes, along with nearly one million integrations with private sector entities. This extensive network positions Dubai Residency as a central coordination hub linking government and economic stakeholders into a unified system that facilitates ease of doing business and enhances investor confidence.

Data-Driven Governance

Dubai Residency’s advanced digital infrastructure has handled more than 195 million gigabytes of data within a highly stable and resilient operating environment. This strong technical foundation guarantees service reliability and operational continuity, while enabling the emirate to accommodate rapid growth in demand without compromising quality.

By leveraging big data and advanced analytics, the Directorate supports Dubai’s ambition to build a knowledge-based, data-driven economy capable of anticipating trends and responding proactively to change.

Simplifying Services, Enhancing Experience

As part of its continuous improvement efforts, Dubai Residency has reengineered service journeys to streamline processes, reduce procedural steps and accelerate transaction completion—particularly for essential services such as travel documents and identity services. These enhancements directly contribute to improving customer satisfaction, strengthening Dubai’s competitive business environment and elevating overall quality of life.

Sustainability and Operational Efficiency

Digital transformation has also delivered measurable environmental benefits. The shift to paperless services has eliminated the use of more than 88 million sheets of paper annually and reduced over 620,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This integration of economic and environmental priorities reflects Dubai’s commitment to sustainability as a core pillar of the D33 agenda.

At the institutional level, Dubai Residency maintains high levels of operational readiness and resilience through comprehensive business continuity planning, successful simulation exercises and a strong culture of innovation and future foresight. These capabilities ensure adaptability in the face of evolving economic and technological challenges.

A Future-Ready Model

Through its integrated and forward-looking approach, Dubai Residency exemplifies how government entities can play a transformative role in national development. By balancing operational excellence, system security and customer experience, the Directorate continues to strengthen public and investor trust while positioning Dubai for its next phase of sustainable economic growth.

As the emirate advances toward its D33 ambitions, Dubai Residency remains a cornerstone in building a globally competitive, digitally empowered and future-ready economy.