• Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) under which the immigration process for pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will be fast-tracked.

• 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 at select US airports.

• The initiative will provide more facilities for the Indian nationals and OCI passengers coming from other countries.

• The FTI-TTP will be launched at 21 major airports in the country.

• In the first phase, along with the Delhi airport, it will be launched at seven major airports — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad.

• The facility will be available free of cost for all passengers.

• It is designed for faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance for international travellers.

• The eligible passengers will be allowed to utilise e-gates and bypass regular immigration queues for a seamless journey.

• They will need to apply online and submit their biometrics (fingerprint and facial image), along with other required information as specified in the application form.

How does it work?

• The programme will run on e-gates or automated border gates, which will minimise human intervention in the immigration-clearance process.

• The objective of the programme is to make international travel easy and secured 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 the Bureau of Immigration will be the nodal agency for the fast-track immigration of various categories of travellers under the programme.

• 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.

• The approved applications would receive a message to schedule an appointment for providing their biometric details.

• The applicants may provide their biometrics at the designated international airports in India or at the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), according to the prior appointment schedule.

• Biometrics is compulsory for the completion of the application processing.

• After the necessary verification, a White List of ‘Trusted Travellers’ will be generated and fed for implementation through the e-gates. The biometrics of a ‘Trusted Traveller’ passing through the 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 a ‘registered passenger’ reaches an e-gate, he will scan his boarding pass issued by the airlines to get his flight details.

• The passport will also be scanned and the biometrics of the passenger authenticated at the e-gate.

• Once the genuine identity of the passenger is established and the biometric authentication done, the e-gate will open automatically and immigration clearance will be deemed to have been granted.

• The programme aims at significantly reducing congestion at airports by offering expedited immigration clearance for pre-verified travellers, both arriving and departing.

• The FTI registration will be valid for a maximum of five years or until the validity of the passport, whichever comes first.

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