New Delhi, Sept 11 (UNI) union Home Minister Amit Shah today inaugurated the Fast Track Immigration - Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode and Amritsar airports through video conferencing.
On this occasion, Shah said the facility is the next stage of enhancing travellers’ convenience, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of speed, scale and scope, a Home Ministry statement said.
The Home Minister said with the FTI-TTP, seamless immigration facilities will be available at the airports, and it will not only enhance the convenience of travellers but also provide an opportunity to introduce them to the changes taking place in the country.
“Merely providing convenience is not enough. We must ensure that the maximum number of travellers benefit from it. To achieve this, efforts should be made to enable registration at the time of issuing passports and OCI cards,” Shah emphasised.
He added that if this can be implemented, travellers will not need to return for fingerprinting or documentation, and they can travel using their passports whenever they wish.
He said that all technical possibilities should be explored to ensure that maximum number of people benefit from this programme. He added that while Indian citizens will certainly benefit, OCI cardholders will benefit the most.
The Home Minister said that the FTI-TTP is a programme that enhances both convenience and national security. The programme was launched in 2024 from Delhi, followed by its implementation at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Ahmedabad airports, and today, five new airports have been added.
He informed that this process is now operational at a total of 13 airports simultaneously. The Home Ministry has planned to integrate this programme with the upcoming Navi Mumbai and Jewar airports.
“All those who have used this facility so far have praised it. Travellers now experience no long queues or manual checking, receiving immigration clearance in just 30 seconds without delays. Approximately three lakh travellers have registered on this portal, of which 2.65 lakh have utilised it during travel, and efforts should be made to continuously increase this number,” Shah said.
Stating that there had been a significant increase in international passenger traffic in the last 11 years, Shah said, “In 2014, the number of travellers going abroad was 3.54 crore, which increased by approximately 73 per cent to 6.12 crore in 2024. Similarly, the number of foreign travellers visiting India was 1.53 crore in 2014, which rose by about 31 per cent to approximately two crore in 2024.
"Combining both figures, the total number of passengers in 2014 was 5.07 crore, compared to 8.12 crore in 2024, representing those who either arrived from abroad or travelled overseas, indicating an overall increase of 60 per cent," he said.
Shah emphasised that the goal should be to ensure that all Indian citizens and OCI cardholders benefit from this facility.
The FTI-TTP has been implemented through an online portal, https://ftittp.mha.gov.in. To enrol in this program, applicants must register online on the portal by filling in their details and uploading the required documents.
The biometrics of registered applicants are collected at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or while passing through the airport. Registered travellers need to scan their boarding pass, issued by the airline, at the e-Gate and then scan their passport. The traveller's biometrics are verified at the e-Gates installed at arrival and departure points. Upon successful verification, the e-Gate automatically opens, and immigration clearance is granted.
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