Dubai’s ‘Salama’: Revolutionizing Visa Renewals with AI

Dubai has taken a significant leap in digital innovation by launching ‘Salama’, an AI-powered platform designed to streamline the residence visa renewal process. According to a report by Onmanorama, this initiative by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) enables residents to renew their visas in under two minutes, a task that previously took up to three hours.

Key Features of ‘Salama’

• Rapid Processing: The AI system swiftly recognizes user details, displays the status of dependents’ visas, and processes renewal requests almost instantly.
• User-Friendly Interface: Residents can select their desired renewal period and download updated documents directly from the platform, eliminating the need for long queues and extensive paperwork.
• Family Visa Renewals: The platform also facilitates the renewal of residency visas for family members with just a few clicks.

Galeb Abdullah Muhammad Hassan Al Majeed, Director of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at GDRFA, highlighted that with proper documentation, the renewal process now takes only 1–2 minutes.

Future Developments

In its initial phase, ‘Salama’ focuses on resident visa renewals and cancellations. However, the GDRFA plans to expand its services to include visitors and tourists in the next phase. Additionally, companies will benefit from the platform once the smart channel and GDRFA DXP applications are introduced.

A Step Towards Digital Transformation

This initiative aligns with Dubai’s broader vision of digital transformation, aiming to enhance efficiency and user experience in governmental services. Lieutenant General Muhammad Ahammad Al Marri, GDRFA Dubai General Director, emphasized that the country’s digital transformation extends beyond service development, focusing on comprehensive modernization.

Conclusion

‘Salama’ represents a significant advancement in Dubai’s commitment to leveraging technology for public service enhancement. Simplifying the visa renewal process, not only saves time for residents but also sets a precedent for future digital initiatives in the region.