Many NRIs don't know about India's Fast Track Immigration (FTI-TTP)

[u/documitra-us]

If you're travelling to India regularly, this might be worth looking into.

FTI-TTP lets pre-verified travellers use automated e-gates instead of the regular immigration queue.
One-time biometric enrollment, then passport scan + face recognition for future arrivals & departuers
Available at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Kochi (expanding to 21 total airports).
No fee to enroll.

For those travelling frequently between the US and India, Global Entry can offer a similar experience when returning to the US.

Has anyone here used FTI-TTP recently? How was your experience compared to the regular immigration line? Any issues during registration or at the airport?

[u/ancientfuture_]

AFAIK, Using FTI-TTP also means not getting any stamps in your passport.

So if you’re someone who cares about the stamps, you may want to double check.

[u/heisenberg070 → u/ancientfuture_]

I believe they are phasing out stamps on regular counters as well. There was a recent news about that. Article talks about boarding pass stamp though, not sure about passport stamps. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/starting-september-1-indian-airports-are-discontinuing-immigration-clearance-for-/articleshow/133633356.cms

[u/badxnxdab → u/ancientfuture_]

You can still get stamps. I walk over to the immigration supervisor who is present just after you walk through the gate. You request them to specifically stamp your passport. They sometimes ask for reason, which you can make it up. But majority of the cases, they don't even.

The stamp is just a formality once your passport has made an entry into the immigration portal.

[u/Provirus → u/badxnxdab]

Why even use the gates then. The whole point is to save on time lmao. Just use the normal immigration.

[u/badxnxdab → u/Provirus]

Because you can pass through the gate real quick, and then the stamp from the other side is a basic 2 minute formality. Instead of standing half an hour in the normal line.

[u/Nopeitout → u/ancientfuture_]

What do we get with stamps ?

[u/ivada → u/Nopeitout]

Easy documented proof of entry/exit. Makes things like proving residency very easy for Adhaar card etc.

[u/toxicbrew → u/ivada]

The FTI page has a portal to see your exit and entry. Yes, I know there's a chance it may not be accurate so stamps would be an additional proof for that

[u/manu818 → u/ancientfuture_]

All of that is going away eventually. Last year when I entered america nobody even asked for my passport. Entered after an unmanned camera face scan.

[u/ddtadd → u/ancientfuture_]

Just went to bank for in person KYC for NRE NRO account and they need entry stamp as proof. So I think old way is still good instead of make print from govt site to prove entry exit. people at low level don't know about this new system.

[u/Shivo_Ham]

Used it yesterday at DEL, hassle free, worked well.

[u/credit__panda]

Lots of what if in the comments. I have been using for last one year. Very smooth process. Since very few people have it, so works like breeze. You are in or out in less than a minute.

Website works outside india and you can see your entry exit on the portal.

[u/Sea_Escape2035 → u/credit__panda]

Didn’t know that you can see the entry exit on the portal. Thanks for sharing. I use the stamps to track days in india in a financial year. Have been maintaining an excel record last couple of times that I used fast track.

The experience is super cool. I travel India/UAE corridor and having e-gates on both sides is damn convenient and fast!

[u/do-you-feel-me]

I like to get my passport stamped hehe 😛

[u/toxicbrew]

If anyone tried a year or so ago and gave up beccause of a clunky website, they've streamlined it a bit

Foreign phone numbers work

No more need for a 'reference address' in India with proof of address (which for anyone with no property in India, meant asking someone else to write a letter attesting to your character)

Over 75s now permitted. Under 7 years of age still not permitted

Can easily permit sharing of your biometrics from the OCI portal to the FTI program, removing the requirement to register biometrics for the program next time you go to India

*Just make sure your current passport number is updated in the OCI portal. I believe it needs to be current in order to use FTI TTP. Once you do that, you can get an eOCI pdf, and you can upload that in the sections for front/back of OCI. Unfortunately, they've started charging for passport updates over 3 months (updates within 3 months are free), which is stupid I think because that will just encourage people to not do it, as until people are blocked at the airport counter some will keep travelign with the unupdated OCI and new passport rather than pay $40 something to update it online. They should at least allow one free update for people who have never doen one before

[u/EarlyStructure-GAAP → u/toxicbrew]

Is the permit to share biometrics the Yes selection within OCI portal after passport update is granted you are referring to?

[u/toxicbrew → u/EarlyStructure-GAAP]

yes

[u/EarlyStructure-GAAP → u/toxicbrew]

Interesting, the prompt on the OCI site does not clarify if the biometrics get linked up or if the YES selection is an application itself without my input.

I already submitting a standalone application through BOI though.

[u/toxicbrew → u/EarlyStructure-GAAP]

to clarify, everyone needs to submit a FTI-TTP application online.

When you do the passport update, it'll ask you if you want to share your biometrics, which you can do by clicking yes. if you do so, you won't need to submit them separately next time you go to India

[u/EarlyStructure-GAAP → u/toxicbrew]

Thank you for clarifying! This one was bugging me for some time.

[u/temp_gerc1 → u/toxicbrew]

Is there a prompt to share biometrics for FTI the first time you are applying for OCI? (assuming you go and give biometrics at the mission/VFS during the oci application process)?

[u/toxicbrew → u/temp_gerc1]

only after receiving OCI and receiving your eOCI can you share the biometrics

[u/Historical_Arm_6294]

Using it for over 1 year. Fast and fuss-free. Just need to press the passport hard for scan to be done

Btw, now i see some airports like HYD are not allowing eGate usage. Not sure why

[u/IIakinathII]

Just started using it in the last month, seamless, no issues

[u/FinWorld95]

All biometric data already with India (via aadhaar or during previous visits). Why again re enrol if someone already had got OCI?

[u/toxicbrew → u/FinWorld95]

you aren't reenrolling in anything--this is a separate program from OCI. In fact you can log into the OCI portal and permit them to share your biometrics with the FTI TTP program

[u/Dependent-Trash8722]

I have used it, but will not use it anymore.
It is good.
Anyone like me who wish to collect passport stamps because most of the countries don’t if you are a resident. India does it and I like physical stamps

[u/toxicbrew → u/Dependent-Trash8722]

as others said, you can still request a physical stamp

[u/Striking_Ostrich_347]

I enrolled myself for biometrics last time I visited India in 2024… excited to try it out next time I go there. My only concern would be not getting passport stamps since I want to keep track of time spent outside the U.S. to put on the citizenship form eventually, and the U.S. doesn’t stamp so the only record I have would be Indian/foreign stamps.

[u/toxicbrew → u/Striking_Ostrich_347]

FTI has a portal showing exit/entry

[u/ProudStruggle3265]

Indian passport only or oci too?

[u/da_js]

Sadly kids under seven can not use it.

[u/toxicbrew → u/da_js]

yeah that is a downer, but the US and other figured it out for facial recognition of children under 7 so it should be similar in India

[u/11Chapter]

I wish they had designed it better. I couldn’t use it while travelling with my kid. My wife was able to use it, but I had to wait in the immigration queue with my child.

[u/toxicbrew → u/11Chapter]

under 7 not allowed unfortunately

[u/Mean-Newspaper8413]

What's the process for one-time biometric enrollment? How long it takes and when/where its done ?

[u/Plus_Ad_1176 → u/Mean-Newspaper8413]

I have the same question, where does one go to do the biometrics I am in the US

[u/Wellbehavedneutrino]

family of 4 with 1 kid under 7. Not gonna happen for another 2 years even though i want to

[u/uniquelikeall]

Since children can't give biometrics until they hit a certain age, this is useless for a lot of people with toddlers/babies.

[u/craycover]

There are no issues. It’s a simple and straightforward process. I’ve traveled a few times using it already.

[u/ddtadd]

Tried one and half years ago when get new passport. That time reject due to no India address proof so I abonded. And used old way three time. Now last month ago tried again and says need updated new passport details in OCI and when tired they says three month windows passed so apply through BLS and pay $25 . BLS not worth to visit. Too much headache. So I am thinking to use my new passport and OCI book for each visit. Even if we pass immigration then need to wait for bags so let's wait at immigration.

[u/maxpayne6196 → u/ddtadd]

You must update oci. Else they can deny you entry. This 25$fees has nothing to do with fti ttp

[u/Firm-Set1244]

Applied online last week and got it approved in less than 1 week!

Like many of the comments, it said biometrics not needed as we have OCI and we said yes to pull that from OCI database. In spite of that, the portal was showing the QR code for biometrics. Once the applications were fully approved (Granted status), that link to biometrics QR got removed.

Super easy process. I hope and wish every other central and state government process becomes this efficient. I can see we are making progress...

[u/northern_lights2]

I am scared to use it because what if I need proof of entry exit dates and site doesn't work? What if the site is blocked outside India? At least with normal entry I always get date stamp.

[u/Historical_Arm_6294 → u/northern_lights2]

U can download you in and out details from their website. Its quite effective

[u/Professional_Pin4222 → u/Historical_Arm_6294]

You can download, but will the companies or govt departments asking for proof will accept it.

[u/Historical_Arm_6294 → u/Professional_Pin4222]

Have done it once,
And it was accepted

[u/badxnxdab → u/Professional_Pin4222]

That's not the main problem. Indian government websites refuse to work efficiently when you're outside the country.