Key Takeaways:
- All international airports will have enough immigration counters and officials available 24×7 to reduce waiting times during the festive and peak tourist season.
- The Trusted Traveller Programme allows pre-verified Indian nationals and OCI cardholders to complete immigration checks quickly and is currently active at 13 airports with plans to expand.
- Airports are installing advanced biometric kiosks and improving infrastructure to streamline passenger movement and ensure smoother, faster clearance for travellers.
With the festive and peak tourist season around the corner, the Union Home Ministry has moved to ease the immigration rush at India’s international airports. Directions have been issued to the Bureau of Immigration to keep enough counters open and ensure round-the-clock staffing so that passengers do not face long queues.
The order came after a review meeting chaired last week by Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Officials confirmed that the ministry has asked airports to strengthen manpower and streamline processes, including the setup of new immigration counters, ahead of the expected surge in international arrivals and departures.
Fast Track Immigration Now Available at 13 Airports
The ministry is pushing the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) like never before. If you’re an Indian national or OCI cardholder who’s already pre-verified, this programme lets you breeze through immigration much faster. It’s up and running at 13 big airports, from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Amritsar. So far, about three lakh people have signed up, and 2.65 lakh have already enjoyed the quicker process.
In its first phase, FTI-TTP is free of cost and limited to Indian passport holders and OCI cardholders. Similar to the Global Entry Program in the United States, it is designed for trusted, low-risk travellers and promises quicker, smoother, and more secure clearance. The government has plans to expand it to 21 airports.
Passenger Growth Leads to Immigration Reforms
Statistics reveal a surge in international arrivals. In 2024, India issued more than 32 lakh e-visas to foreign nationals, a majority of whom were tourists. The government’s network of 114 check posts handled around 4.7 lakh e-FRRO services, showing the scale of international arrivals. Meanwhile, 5.45 lakh OCI cards were handed out to people of Indian origin from around the world, linking families and communities across borders.
To accommodate this growth, the Home Ministry has notified 37 airports, 34 sea and river ports, 37 international land crossings, and six railway stations as official immigration posts. Airport operators have also been asked to accelerate the installation of advanced biometric kiosks to cut down waiting times at counters.
Airports Strengthen Immigration Ahead of Festivals
Heading home for Diwali, Dussehra, or winter break? The airports have you covered! More counters, extra officials on duty all day and night, and fast-track lanes for trusted travellers mean smoother, faster immigration checks. The government’s new push is all about cutting down long waits and making your travel experience better than ever. As the festive season brings a wave of returning NRIs and tourists, these changes promise quicker, hassle-free journeys for everyone flying in and out of India.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is India cutting long airport queues this festive season?
To handle the surge in international travellers during the festive and peak tourist season, the Union Home Ministry has directed that sufficient immigration counters be operational 24×7. This will reduce long queues and waiting times for passengers.
What is the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP)?
FTI-TTP allows pre-verified Indian nationals and OCI cardholders to complete immigration checks faster. It is currently operational at 13 major airports and will expand to 21 airports. Around three lakh people have registered so far.
Which Indian airports currently have the Fast Track Immigration facility?
The programme is active at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Kozhikode, and Amritsar.
What technology upgrades are being introduced at Indian airports?
Airport operators are being asked to install advanced biometric kiosks to reduce congestion and speed up passenger movement at immigration counters.
How many international passengers did India handle in 2024?
In 2024, India issued over 32 lakh e-visas to foreign visitors, delivered 4.7 lakh e-FRRO services, and granted 5.45 lakh OCI cards to people of Indian origin.
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