You will soon be able to complete all your immigration formalities in a few seconds! The Indian government has decided to introduce a fast-track immigration programme at 20 airports across the country. This new programme will cut down the time taken to complete the immigration process from a minimum of 30 minutes to just a few seconds! This system is already working successfully at Delhi’s IGI Airport and will soon be available at various airports in the country. Read on to know more about it.
New Fast-Track Immigration Clearance Programme At 20 Indian Airports
Long immigration lines are soon going to be a thing of the past! The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to introduce a special programme to fast-track the immigration process at 20 airports across the country. Under the Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will be able to complete the immigration process in a matter of seconds. Currently, it takes a minimum of 30 minutes to complete the immigration process.
According to an NDTV report, this programme was launched at the Delhi Airport on June 22. Seeing its successful operations there, the ministry has now decided to expand this programme to 20 other airports. Installation of this new system has already begun in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, and Ahmedabad airports.
This new fast-track immigration programme will have automated e-gates that will allow flyers to use biometrics to have a seamless experience for immigration, both during departure and arrival. This way, they will be able to bypass standard immigration queues and complete the long process in a matter of seconds!
All You Need To Know About This New Immigration Clearance Service
Officials believe that the Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme will help facilitate faster, smoother and more secure immigration clearance at Indian airports. As per NDTV’s report, more than 18,400 Indian passports and OCI card holders have registered for FTI-TTP to ensure seamless immigration.
Now, we’re sure you all must be wondering how the new fast-track immigration programme will work. Reportedly, this new programme is being implemented through an online portal and the Bureau of Immigration is the nodal agency for it. After all the necessary verification, passengers will be added to a White List of ‘Trusted Travellers’ that will manage e-gate access. The biometrics of these travellers will be captured at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office office or airports. Once the registered flyer reaches the e-gates, they simply have to scan the boarding pass and passport, and provide the biometrics for authentication. Once their identity is established, the e-gate will automatically open and immigration clearance will be deemed to have been granted.
Here’s how you can apply for the Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme –
1. Visit the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme website here.
2. Submit the required details for verification by the Bureau of Immigration.
3. Once approved, you will be prompted to schedule an appointment to provide biometrics at international airports or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office.
The FTI registration is valid for a maximum of five years. After the system is successfully operational, foreigners will also be able to apply for this programme.
What are your thoughts on this fast-track immigration programme? Let us know in the comments.
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