At the Delhi airport, the Center started a fast-track program to cut down on the minimum thirty-minute processing time for immigration paperwork to just a few seconds. Twenty more places will shortly be added to this initiative.
Biometrics are being used to provide pre-verified travelers with a seamless immigration experience during both arrival and departure at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi as part of the Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on June 22.
The program will soon be accessible in 21 airports nationwide. Work has started to extend it to seven major airports: Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, and Ahmedabad.
“India is becoming an international destination and this programme is being introduced to make travel experience seamless and effortless for all. Eligible passengers will be allowed to utilise automated gates (e-gates) and bypass regular immigration queues for a seamless journey,” a senior MHA official told NDTV.
“This programme will soon start in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, and then in other cities. Under it, the immigration process of pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders is done within seconds. The aim is to facilitate international mobility with a faster, smoother and more secure immigration clearance,” the official added.
He claims that the FTI-TTP program has already proven successful at the Delhi airport, with 18,400 people who possess Indian passports and OCI cards having enrolled for it.
The FTI-TTP is being implemented via an online portal, and the Bureau of Immigration is the nodal agency for fast-track immigration of various types of travellers under this program.
After the requisite verification, travelers are added to a White List of ‘Trusted Travellers’ that is supplied into e-gates for implementation. The biometrics of a ‘Trusted Traveller’ going through the gates are collected at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office or at airports.
When registered passengers arrive at the e-gates, they scan their airline-issued boarding pass to obtain flight information. The passport is also scanned, and the passenger’s biometrics are validated.
The e-gate opens automatically and immigration clearance is presumed to have been given after the passenger’s identification has been verified and biometric authentication has been completed.
How To Apply
- The necessary information must be submitted online at www.ftittp.mha.gov.in by eligible persons, and the Bureau of Immigration will verify the application. Following the approval of their applications, individuals will receive a message asking them to make an appointment at the closest Foreigners Regional Registration Office or international airport to provide their biometrics.
- The FTI registration will remain active for the duration of the passport, or up to five years, whichever comes first. According to officials, submitting biometric data is required, and while applying for the FTI-TTP, applicants must make sure their passports are valid for at least six months.
- An official stated that there would be two phases to the implementation of the program, which will also minimize human interference in the immigration process. The first phase will include Indian nationals and holders of OCI cards, while the second phase will include foreigners.
Another helpdesk email address provided by the Union Home Ministry is india.ftittp-boi@mha.gov.in.
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