New technology means you’ll soon be able travel internationally without a passport or boarding card…

Passports and boarding cards will soon be a thing of the past as Dubai residents will be able to travel to and from Dubai Airport (DXB) using only their individual biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial recognition.

In July, What’s On reported that Dubai airport was trialling the futuristic technology and now according to Gulf News, the Biometric Passenger Journey technology has been confirmed to appear at DXB Airport in the very near future, by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) – Dubai, Major General Mohammad Al Merri.

Whilst the official dates for full implementation of the technology has not yet been established, it’s been said that a pilot phase will be launched at DXB Airport in a few months.

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The news was confirmed during the GITEX Technology Week expo, currently in full swing in Dubai, where at the GDRFA’s pavilion, visitors could try out the Biometric Check-in, in conjunction with Dubai-based airline, Emirates.

The technology means that a pre-screened passenger will not need to show any paper documents like passports or boarding cards at any point throughout the airport. It has already been trialled on flights between London and Dubai, and it’s set to be tested on Dubai to Australia flights this year too.

In the future it’s predicted that a paperless system will become the norm for global international travel, and will be rolled out across check-in desks, passport counters, duty-free shops, airport lounges and boarding gates around the world.

Maj Gen Al Merri said of the Biometric Passenger Journey technology, “It is a seamless airport journey in Dubai as passengers will no longer need to show their passports or IDs. Traveller can walk through the terminal to the airplane just by showing his or her face.”

No more digging around for your boarding card or passport then…

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Images: Getty