Quicker immigration at Mumbai airport

Immigration department proposes to do away with the secondary check for departing and arriving passengers

Immigration check will get quicker at the Mumbai airport, with plans to do away with the secondary check. Currently, after clearing immigration, a police constable checks whether passengers’ passports have been stamped at the counter.

The immigration department will also stop asking arriving Indians and departing foreigners to fill a form.

“Trials will be conducted from next week and boarding passes will be scanned by immigration staff to capture the airline passenger data. Upon successful completion of the trials the secondary immigration check will be withdrawn,” said an airport official.

An airline executive said: “It is a major hassle to stand in a queue again after clearing the immigration.”

The airport’s new terminal has 132 immigration counters (60 for departure and 72 for arrival).  However, only 50 are manned during peak hours due to staff shortage. The airport handles around 20,000 passengers daily.