Bypass Immigration queues: Fast Track expands to 5 more airports in India

E-Gates Roll Out in Lucknow, Amritsar, Kozhikode, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram

International travellers flying out of Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode and Amritsar will soon experience faster, paperless immigration clearance as Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) in these cities on Thursday.

 

The flagship initiative, first introduced at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in July 2024 and later expanded to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin and Ahmedabad, now covers 13 airports. The government plans to scale it up to 21 major airports over time.

 

The FTI-TTP, modelled on the U.S. Global Entry Program, offers Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders an expedited pathway through automated e-gates, bypassing conventional immigration queues.

 

 

So far, thousands of passengers have benefitted from the system, which uses biometric authentication — fingerprints and facial recognition — to ensure secure, contactless processing. Once a traveller’s identity is verified, the e-gate opens automatically, granting instant clearance.

 

How the Programme Works

 

Eligibility: In its first phase, the scheme is open to Indian passport holders and OCI cardholders free of charge. Foreign travellers will be included in the second phase.

 

Application: Travellers must apply online at www.ftittp.mha.gov.in

, submit required details, and provide biometrics (fingerprints and facial images) at a designated airport or Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

 

Validity: Registration is valid for five years or until passport expiry, whichever comes first.

 

Process at e-Gates: Passengers scan their boarding pass and passport at the automated gate, followed by biometric verification. On successful match, clearance is granted instantly.

 

Officials highlighted that the programme will not only speed up immigration but also reduce human intervention, making international travel more seamless and secure.

 

Key points to note: 

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 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.  With inputs from PTI