By News Karnataka
Copyright newskarnataka
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday inaugurated the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at five additional international airports, extending biometric-based immigration clearance services aimed at faster travel for pre-verified passengers.
Expansion and airports added
The FTI-TTP will now be available at Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Kozhikode, and Amritsar airports.
Previously, the programme was launched in July 2024 at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, and then rolled out to seven more airports including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad. With the latest addition, a total of 13 airports in India will now have the facility.
How the programme works and who benefits
The FTI-TTP allows Indian citizens and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders to register online and use e-gates (automated immigration gates) at designated airports for quicker clearance, eliminating some manual steps.
Applicants must upload required documents on the portal, provide biometric data (fingerprints and facial recognition), and will have their identity verified. Once verified, the pre-approved travellers can use the e-gates at arrival and departure.
Registration is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Applicants must ensure their passport has at least six months’ validity.
Goals, scale, impact
Amit Shah said the expansion aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Speed, Scale, and Scope”, and aims to provide both traveller convenience and stronger security.
As of the inauguration, around three lakh travellers have registered for FTI-TTP, and 2.65 lakh have used the facility so far. Travellers report significantly shorter queues and much faster immigration clearance — reportedly in just 30 seconds using the e-gates.
The government plans to eventually roll out FTI-TTP at 21 major airports in the country.
The latest expansion of the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme marks a significant step toward modernising India’s immigration infrastructure. By adding five more airports and easing access for Indian and OCI travellers, the initiative promises to reduce travel time and friction at busy international gateways. As rollout continues across more airports, the success of FTI-TTP will depend on awareness, efficient registration, and ensuring the technological systems (e-gates, biometric verification) work smoothly.
