On Saturday, June 22, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, launched a special programme. We are talking about the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme, which is going to make the immigration process so much easier. It is especially perfect for pre-verified international and Overseas Citizens of India cardholders. As a result, it’s going to fast-track the process of the documentation, as they arrive at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme Introduced At IGI
Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi became the first Indian airport to launch the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme. A visionary initiative of the government, this program is going to make the immigration process of Pre-verified International and Overseas Citizens of India quicker. A process that has been thoughtfully designed for them, it is quite similar to the Global Entry Program, offered by the United States of America. In case you’re wondering, this program offers expedited clearances for low-risk travellers who are pre-approved when they arrive at select US airports.
The Initiative To Be Launched At 21 Other Airports
In a report by the Financial Express, it was mentioned that it is one of the key agendas for the Vikasit Bharat by 2047, it reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing travel convenience. Not to mention, the home minister also said that this facility will be free of cost for all passengers. In fact, soon the FTI-TTP will be Launched at other 21 airports in the country. Along with Delhi airport, soon it will be launched in seven other major airports including – Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi, and Ahmedabad, in the first phase.
An initiative for faster, smoother, and safer immigration clearance, this program is going to allow eligible passengers to utilise the gates and bypass regular immigration queues. However, they will need to apply online and submit their biometrics. Yes, this includes fingerprints and facial images, besides other required information. The information will be specified in the application form. Not to mention, this FTI registration will be valid for a maximum period of five years or until the validity of the passport, whichever expires first.
How To Apply?
So if you know someone who would want to apply for this program, they can do so on the government website And provide their required details. This will then be verified by the Bureau of Immigration. After their information is verified, approved applications will receive a message for the scheduling of their appointment to provide the biometric details. Thereafter, applicants will be expected to provide their biometrics at designated international airports in India or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office. It’s worth noting that biometrics is compulsory for the application processing. Not to mention, the applicants must ensure that their passport has a minimum validity of six months when they apply for this programme.
As the programme is to be implemented in two phases, the first one includes Indian citizens and OCI card holders while the second one will be extended to foreign travellers.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva & X/AmitShah
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