A Dubai Immigration delegation will leave for the US in March to issue e-gate cards for 700 IMF employees who will attend Dubai 2003 meetings, a top official said.

Dubai Immigration IT manager Lt Col Khalid Lootah also said a total of 7,000 e-cards had been issued so far and authorities were planning to cover 15 per cent of all passengers. His remarks, published in the Gulf News, came at a seminar on the achievements of the Dubai Airport Cares programme.

Dubai Civil Aviation (DCA) president and Emirates Group chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum inaugurated the event.

According to Gulf News, Shaikh Ahmed said "the programme has established a cohesive bond of communication and cooperation between all agencies working at the airport".

Huraiz Al Huraiz, Dubai Airport Cares team leader, said DCA had requested airport restaurants to start accepting Visa cards for payments. Three computerised airport feedback kiosks would be installed soon.