New Delhi | A special programme under which the immigration clearance process of pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders is fast-tracked will be rolled out on Thursday in five more cities, including Lucknow and Thiruvananthapuram, officials said.
The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) will be launched in Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode and Amritsar international airports by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a special programme to be held virtually.
While the special initiative was first rolled out at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here in July 2024, it was subsequently launched in seven more airports -- Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin and Ahmedabad in September 2024.
The programme ensures faster immigration clearance, and so far, several thousand passengers have been granted faster immigration clearance through e-Gates, officials said.
The FTI-TTP aims to facilitate international mobility with faster, smoother, secure immigration clearance. In the initial phase, it has been started for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders on a gratis basis.
The FTI-TTP is similar to the Global Entry Program offered by the United States that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in America in select airports, another official said.
The FTI-TTP will eventually be launched at 21 major airports in the country.
It is designed for faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance for international travellers. Eligible passengers will be allowed to utilise e-gates and bypass regular immigration queues for a seamless journey.
Eligible individuals will need to apply online and submit their biometrics (fingerprint and facial image) along with other required information as specified in the application form.
The FTI registration will be valid for a maximum of five years or until the validity of the passport, whichever comes first. A traveller can avail the facility by applying through the government website - www.ftittp.mha.gov.in and providing the required details, which will be verified by the Bureau of Immigration.
Approved applications would receive a message to schedule an appointment to provide their biometrics details.
Applicants may provide their biometrics at designated international airports in India or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) according to the prior appointment schedule.
Biometrics is compulsory for the completion of the application processing.
The applicants may ensure a minimum passport validity of at least six months while applying for the FTI-TTP. The membership of programmer will be co-terminus with passport validity.
The programme will run on e-gates or automated border gates which will minimise human intervention in the immigration clearance process, the official said.
The programme will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, Indian citizens and OCI cardholders are covered and in the second phase, foreign travellers will be covered.
The objective of this programme 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 FTI-TTP will be implemented through an online portal and Bureau of Immigration will be the nodal agency for fast track immigration of various categories of travellers under this programme.
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 the FRRO office or at the time of passage of the registered traveller through the airport.
Under the process, as soon as registered passengers reach the e-gates, they will scan their boarding pass issued by the airlines at the e-gates to get the details of their flight. The passport will also be scanned and the biometrics of the passengers will be authenticated at the e-gates.
Once the genuine identity of the passenger is established and biometric authentication is done, the e-gate will open automatically and immigration clearance will be deemed to have been granted.
The Union home ministry also shared a support help desk email ID -- india.ftittp-boi@mha.gov.in
