India expands biometric fast-track immigration to 21 airports

The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the biometric Travelers are required to scan their boarding passes and passports at the e-gate and then undergo biometric authentication using fingerprint and facial recognition for immigration clearance.(FTI-TTP) to over 21 airports nationwide following its successful introduction at Delhi Airport earlier this year.

Travelers are required to scan their boarding passes and passports at the e-gate and then undergo biometric authentication using fingerprint and facial recognition for immigration clearance.

The government of India endorsed the decision to expand the FTI-TTP within the first 100 days of the Prime Minister’s third term, which will reduce wait times for travelers at immigration counters.

The program has enrolled 18,400 participants, with over 1,500 individuals utilizing the e-gates at Delhi Airport, as reported by The New Indian Express. The government is gradually rolling out this initiative at major airports across the country, including Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru, among others.

To access the e-gates, travelers must undergo pre-verification by providing their personal details to the Bureau of Immigration. Upon approval, they are required to submit their biometrics at designated international airports or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

This program is compared to the Global Entry Program in the United States, which is designed to facilitate the immigration process for low-risk travelers.

India needs quick immigration clearance

In the current system, passengers often experience long wait times to complete the immigration process when arriving at or departing from major international airports in India. Even for citizens, the wait time for clearing immigration at busy airports can extend to a few hours.

The Indian government addresses this by enhancing travelers’ experiences and streamlining the system. This initiative follows a recent report from the Trevolution Group, which noted a 46 percent growth in outbound and inbound tourism compared to last year.

The FTI-TTP is offered to eligible travelers who are Indian nationals or foreign nationals with an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.

Article Topics

airports  |  biometrics  |  FTI-TTP  |  immigration  |  India  |  travel and tourism  |  trusted traveller