BENGALURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah virtually launched a significant initiative from Ahmedabad on Thursday night aimed at making international travel seamless for Indian citizens and OCI cardholders.
The programme, titled ‘Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Program’ (FTI-TTP), is now operational at seven airports, including Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, Hyderabad, Cochin, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad, according to a press release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Passengers travelling from Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport can bypass traditional immigration counters by utilising e-gates if they register themselves on an online portal under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) spokesperson explained, “If prior registration is done, the flyer can bypass the immigration counters and get the clearance through e-gates. This will make the process much faster for those flying abroad.”
The PIB release further elaborated, “Its objective is to provide world-class immigration facilities to travellers, making international travel seamless and secure. Initially, this facility has been launched free of cost for Indian citizens and OCI cardholders.”
To enrol in the programme, applicants must complete online registration by providing their details and uploading the required documents on the portal (https://ftittp.mha.gov.in). The biometric data of registered applicants will be captured either at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or during their passage through the airport.
The process for registered travellers involves scanning their airline-issued boarding pass at the e-gate, followed by scanning their passport. The PIB statement added, “At both the arrival and departure points, the passenger’s biometrics will be authenticated at the e-gates. Once this authentication is successful, the e-gate will automatically open, and immigration clearance will be deemed granted.”
The initiative, which was first introduced last year at Terminal 3 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, forms part of the ‘Viksit Bharat’@2047 vision. Initially, it is being offered free of cost, and in its first phase, it will cover 21 major airports across the country.
The airport source noted that the initiative was similar to the DigiYatra system currently operational at Bengaluru Airport.