NEW DELHI: Pre-verified Indian nationals and overseas citizen of India (OCI) cardholders flying in from abroad will soon be able to clear immigration faster by simply walking through e-gates or automated border gates to be set up at eight major international airports and eventually, 13 more airports across country.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the ‘Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme’ (FTI-TTP) at Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.The programme is expected to reduce congestion and cut immigration clearance lines at busy international airports, besides offering the passengers a faster, hassle-free and pleasant travel experience.
FTI-TTP will be launched across 21 airports in two phases, starting with its rollout at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad airports in the first phase. Only Indian nationals and OCIs will be eligible to sign up for now. In the second phase, 13 more international airports will be added to the programme and foreign nationals covered as well.
Describing FTI-TTP as a “visionary” initiative of govt that fulfils one of the key agendas for ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’, Shah on Saturday said it reflects Modi govt’s commitment to enhance travel convenience and efficiency for all. He announced that the facility of faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance will be free of cost for all passengers.
The programme will run on e-gates or automated border gates which will minimise human intervention in the immigration clearance process. “The objective is to make international travel easy and secure by developing world-class immigration facilities through an accelerated immigration pathway for international travellers screened through automated gates (e-gates),” the home ministry said in a statement.
Currently, similar programmes offering faster immigration to international travellers via e-gates are run in countries like the US, where customs and border patrol (CBP) operates Global Entry Programme and Trusted Travellers Programme.
FTI-TTP will be implemented through an online portal and Bureau of Immigration will be nodal agency for fast track immigration of various categories of travellers. To enrol in the scheme, the applicant has to register online on the portal with his details and required documents. After necessary verification, a ‘white list’ of ‘trusted travellers’ will be generated and fed for implementation through e-gates. Biometrics of the ‘trusted traveller’ passing through e-gates will be captured at FRRO office or at the time of passage of the registered traveller through the airport. TTP registration will be valid till the validity of the passport or five years, whichever is earlier and will be renewed thereafter.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the ‘Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme’ (FTI-TTP) at Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.The programme is expected to reduce congestion and cut immigration clearance lines at busy international airports, besides offering the passengers a faster, hassle-free and pleasant travel experience.
FTI-TTP will be launched across 21 airports in two phases, starting with its rollout at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad airports in the first phase. Only Indian nationals and OCIs will be eligible to sign up for now. In the second phase, 13 more international airports will be added to the programme and foreign nationals covered as well.
Describing FTI-TTP as a “visionary” initiative of govt that fulfils one of the key agendas for ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’, Shah on Saturday said it reflects Modi govt’s commitment to enhance travel convenience and efficiency for all. He announced that the facility of faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance will be free of cost for all passengers.
The programme will run on e-gates or automated border gates which will minimise human intervention in the immigration clearance process. “The objective is to make international travel easy and secure by developing world-class immigration facilities through an accelerated immigration pathway for international travellers screened through automated gates (e-gates),” the home ministry said in a statement.
Currently, similar programmes offering faster immigration to international travellers via e-gates are run in countries like the US, where customs and border patrol (CBP) operates Global Entry Programme and Trusted Travellers Programme.
FTI-TTP will be implemented through an online portal and Bureau of Immigration will be nodal agency for fast track immigration of various categories of travellers. To enrol in the scheme, the applicant has to register online on the portal with his details and required documents. After necessary verification, a ‘white list’ of ‘trusted travellers’ will be generated and fed for implementation through e-gates. Biometrics of the ‘trusted traveller’ passing through e-gates will be captured at FRRO office or at the time of passage of the registered traveller through the airport. TTP registration will be valid till the validity of the passport or five years, whichever is earlier and will be renewed thereafter.
