India’s Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) was first launched from Terminal-3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi on June 22 last year.

Soon after, in January this year, FTI-TTP was implemented in Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Amritsar, and Lucknow airports. Plans are on to start the facility – operational in 13 airports now – in 21 other major airports in India.

Through this initiative, travellers get to save time as immigration clearance happens in just 30 seconds. Long queues and manual checking are also avoided. The FTI-TTP is aiming to provide world-class immigration facilities for international travellers.

The government is actively working to integrate FTI-TTP with the upcoming Navi Mumbai and Jewar airports as well.

Indian and foreign citizens with OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards can enroll in the Fast Track Immigration -Trusted Traveller Programme and become members. Their membership will hold good for five years or till the validity of the passport.

To enroll in the programme, the applicant has to register online on the portal, by signing up after authenticating their identity through mobile OTP and email verification. Eligible applicants will be required to provide Biometrics (fingerprint and face image) at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

The boarding pass of the registered passenger issued by the airlines will be scanned at the e-gates, and the biometrics also authenticated there. Once the authentication is complete, the e-gate will automatically open and immigration clearance will be granted.

The OCI Scheme, which does not give political rights, however, requires registration of all PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) who were citizens of India on January 26, 1950, or later, or were eligible to become citizens of India on January 26, 1950. – editor@nrifocus.com