Shah starts system to boost services for immigrants

New Delhi, June 22

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a special programme under which the immigration process for pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will be fast-tracked.

The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) is a “visionary initiative” of the government, thoughtfully designed for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, Shah said.

The FTI-TTP is similar to the Global Entry Programme offered by the US that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival at select US airports, officials said.

The FTI-TTP will be launched at 21 major airports in the country. In the first phase, along with the Delhi airport, it will be launched at seven major airports — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad. It is designed for faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance for international travellers. The eligible passengers will be allowed to utilise e-gates and bypass regular immigration queues for a seamless journey.