KOCHI: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has rolled out a fast-track immigration program, an initiative by the Ministry of Home affairs to expedite immigration procedures, making international travel seamless and secure.
Leveraging biometric technology, the program enables travellers to complete the immigration process in just 20 seconds. Indian citizens and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders can avail the facility for free initially.
With the launch of the FTI-TTP (Fast Track Immigration -- Trusted Traveller Program), international travellers can complete immigration procedures in seconds after one-time registration at the Ministry of Home Affairs’ dedicated portal.
OCI cardholders are eligible to submit applications through the portal. Once documents, including passports, are successfully uploaded, applicants can proceed to biometric enrolment. Enrolment for facial and fingerprint scanning has been set up at the FRRO office and immigration counters at Kochi Airport.
Upon successful registration, travellers can use smart gates for future international arrivals/departures, bypassing long queues at immigration.
A total of eight biometric e-gates, with four each in the arrival and departure areas, have been set up to facilitate fast-track immigration services. At the gate, travellers can scan their passports, and the gate opens if prior registration is done. The process is completed once the second camera recognises the face of the passenger.
Besides Kochi airport, the facility is being implemented in six major airports -- Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. The Home Ministry already launched the facility at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi, on June 22, 2024.
The Digi-Yatra system, enabling seamless boarding for domestic passengers, is already operational at CIAL.