Dubai has unveiled an innovative new platform named ‘Salama,’ which promises to significantly streamline the visa renewal process for residents. The platform leverages artificial intelligence to allow users to renew their residence visas in just a couple of minutes, marking a significant leap forward in the city’s digital transformation efforts. According to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), residents will now be able to process their visa renewals online with minimal effort. This change is expected to reduce the time spent on paperwork and eliminate the need for long queues at government offices.
The Salama platform is designed to simplify the renewal process by automating many of the tasks previously handled manually. Once an applicant logs into the system, the AI recognizes their personal details and immediately displays the status of their dependent’s visa, including the remaining days until expiration. This intelligent system ensures that residents can select their desired renewal period, and once the appropriate documents are confirmed, the system processes the request almost instantly. The days of waiting hours to complete a residency visa renewal are now over, with the entire process taking no more than two minutes, provided the necessary documents are in order.
In the past, visa renewals for family members often took between one to three hours to complete, depending on the documentation provided. The introduction of Salama has vastly improved efficiency, reducing wait times and providing users with the ability to download their updated visa documents directly from the platform. This new system enhances both convenience and efficiency, making the visa renewal process faster and more accessible for all residents.
Galeb Abdullah Muhammad Hassan Al Majeed, the director of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at GDRFA, expressed his satisfaction with the platform’s speed. He emphasized that when all necessary documents are submitted correctly, the renewal process is now completed in a mere one to two minutes, which is a significant improvement over the old process. For the time being, the system focuses solely on the renewal and cancellation of residency visas for individuals. However, the future holds more advancements.
In addition to serving residents, the Dubai authorities have plans to expand the Salama platform’s capabilities to include services for tourists and visitors. This expansion is expected to be part of a broader initiative to improve the ease of entry and stay for visitors to Dubai. The GDRFA is also working on integrating these services with the GDRFA DXP applications and the smart channel to cater to the needs of businesses and companies in the future. The digital transformation of government services is at the heart of Dubai’s commitment to innovation, ensuring that both residents and visitors experience seamless interactions with government authorities.
Lieutenant General Muhammad Ahmad Al Marri, the General Director of the GDRFA, emphasized that the initiative goes beyond just improving convenience for residents. It forms part of the broader vision to position Dubai at the forefront of digital governance. As the platform continues to evolve, it will likely redefine how government services are delivered, pushing the boundaries of efficiency in public service delivery.
The launch of Salama marks a significant milestone in Dubai’s ongoing journey to modernize public services, setting the stage for even more groundbreaking developments in the near future.
