Key Highlights
The Indian government recently launched its Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP). The program aims at simplifying international travel. It is an innovative initiative that will speed up the immigration process of pre-approved, low-risk travellers in certain airports across the country.
Programme Overview
The FTI-TTP was launched on June 22, 2024, at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and is said to cut down immigration processing time from the traditional 30 minutes to mere seconds. The programme is the equivalent of the United States Global Entry system; it ensures faster, smoother, and quicker immigration clearance for eligible travellers.
Eligibility and Registration
At present, this scheme is open to Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. The process for registration is as follows:-
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Online application through the official website of the Ministry of Home Affairs
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Verification of details by the Bureau of Immigration
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Biometric enrollment at specified locations in fingerprints and facial image
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Final approval and completion of registration
Before making an application, the applicant must ensure that the passport he holds shall remain valid for more than six months. The registration made under FTI-TTP is valid for five years or upon expiry of the passport, which will precede it.
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How Does it Work?
Sponsored travelers shall benefit from dedicated e-gates in the participating airports when reporting or exiting the country. This entails,
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Scrutiny of the boarding card by the first e-gate
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Scrutiny of the passport
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Facial recognition by the second e-gate
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Automated Immigration clearance
This automated mechanism essentially minimizes human interaction, thereby reducing processing times considerably and enhancing efficiency in general.
Participating Airports
The FTI-TTP was a pilot project first inaugurated at Delhi's IGI Airport. However, the government has high hopes that this scheme will be implemented in 20 other cities as well. The second phase will cover seven major airports as follows:
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Mumbai
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Chennai
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Kolkata
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Bengaluru
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Hyderabad
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Cochin
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Ahmedabad
Benefits to Travellers
The FTI-TTP has the following benefits for the travellers:
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The immigration process is reduced to a very short duration
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Travellers are permitted to have dedicated e-gates, thereby saving time and avoiding long queues in the regular immigration halls
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Security measures are improved through biometric checks
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Overall, the travelling experience becomes better
The scheme will have 18,400 participants registered by September 2024. So far, it has benefited 1,500 passengers as they pass through e-gates at a quicker pace in Delhi.
Future Expansions and International Collaborations
While the program is open for Indian nationals and an OCI cardholder presently, it will be opened to international visitors in later phases. This aligns with international trends of trusted traveller programs and would result in reciprocal agreements with other countries as well.
Comparison with International Programs
The FTI-TTP model is modelled after all other country-specific trusted traveller programs:
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United States: Global Entry
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Australia and New Zealand: SmartGate
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Germany: EasyPASS
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South Korea: Smart Entry Service
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Singapore: Automated Enhanced-Immigration Clearance System (eIACS)
These programs share the same objective of expediting immigration processes for prescreened, low-risk passengers while maintaining both security and productivity at international borders.
Implementation Issues and Solutions
Although any new system has a gestation period, the FTI-TTP is not exempt from some of these:
- Technology integration in several airports
- Officer training who would assist passengers in using the new system
- Data privacy and security
To address these, the government often consults with airport authorities and technology providers to make sure that the rollout and execution of the program are as smooth as possible.
Impacts on Tourism and Business Travel
With the FTI-TTP, wait times in India are reduced and the process of entry is streamlined such that India becomes more appealing to international visitors and investors.
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Conclusion
FTI-TTP is yet another major stride in the modernisation of the Indian immigration process. It harnesses the efficiency of technology with safety to bring India to par with the best practices in border management worldwide. If this program takes shape in other airports and eventually overseas travellers, it can revolutionise the international travel experience both from India and to India. It accelerates tourism, business, and overall global connectivity into and out of the country.
Enrollment in FTI-TTP would, for frequent travellers to India, add the richness of a travel experience, making the process of entry and exit smoother and faster. As the program progresses, it will be interesting to know whether this could become a springboard from which the country realises its desired position globally on the travel landscape and in bilateral relations with other countries' trusted traveller programs. To learn more about immigration and to find easy ways to immigrate to your favourite destinations, you must contact TerraTern right now!
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