CIAL to launch smart gates for international travellers, Self-immigration process in 20 seconds

Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is set to become the second airport in India to implement the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s prestigious Trusted Traveller Programme, facilitating a seamless immigration process through self-authentication at specially designed smart gates at immigration counters. Following the roll-out at Delhi International Airport in June, CIAL has begun an infrastructure makeover at the immigration area, dedicating 8 lanes to biometric e-gates, enabling international travellers to complete the immigration process by themselves in 20 seconds. This state-of-the-art facility will be launched by August 2024.

The MHA's Fast Track Immigration- Trusted Travellers’ (FTI-TTP) programme aims to expedite the immigration clearance for eligible Indian Nationals and Foreign Nationals holding OCI cards. Applicants must complete a one-time registration process, on the MHA portal, upload necessary documents, and enrol biometrics (fingerprint and face image) at the Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or help desks set up in the immigration area. Upon successful validation through mobile OTP, travellers can use the smart gates, bypassing long queues at the departure/arrival immigration counters by self-scanning their passports and using the face recognition system. This eliminates the need for human interaction or fact-checking during immigration.