NRIs can now fast-track immigration at 13 Indian airports — but Aadhaar Card won’t work as proof
Move will significantly cut waiting times, improve passenger flow, and enhance the travel experience for both Indian nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders. Key restriction — the Aadhaar card cannot be used as address proof for registration.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) travelling through India’s busiest international airports can now breeze through immigration, thanks to the newly launched e-Gate facility under the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP). However, there’s a key restriction — the Aadhaar card cannot be used as address proof for registration.
The initiative, introduced by the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, aims to make airport immigration quicker and more efficient for frequent travellers. The e-Gate service is currently available at 13 airports across the country — Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Amritsar, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, and Trichy.
A Digital Leap for Travellers
The new e-Gate system allows pre-verified passengers to complete immigration using self-service kiosks. Instead of waiting in long queues, travelers can scan their passports, verify their biometrics, and walk directly through the gate — similar to systems already in place at airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Officials say the move will significantly cut waiting times, improve passenger flow, and enhance the travel experience for both Indian nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders.
Who Can Use the Facility
- The e-Gate program is open to two categories of travelers:
- Indian nationals, and
- Foreign nationals holding an OCI card.
- Both groups can register online before their travel and complete biometric verification at designated airports or immigration offices.
Why Aadhaar Isn’t Accepted
Despite being India’s most widely used identity document, the Aadhaar card is not accepted as proof of address for e-Gate registration.
A notice on the official portal explicitly states:
- Aadhaar card is not admissible as proof of address.
- For NRIs and OCI cardholders, the passport page showing their current address serves as the primary document for verification.
- Other accepted address proofs include an election photo identity card, recent utility bills (electricity or landline/post-paid mobile) issued within the last three months, a driving licence, or a spouse’s passport copy (if the address matches).
- For minors, a parent’s passport can be used. Those residing abroad can submit a government-issued ID showing their current foreign address.
How to Apply
To register for the e-Gate program, NRIs and OCI holders must follow these steps:
- Visit the official portal: https://ftittp.mha.gov.in/fti/.
- Create an account using a verified email and mobile number. Registration is completed after OTP and email verification.
- Fill in details as per your passport, including name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, passport number, and address.
- Upload a recent passport-size photograph and scanned copies of the passport’s front and back pages showing the address — OCI cardholders must also upload the first and last pages of their OCI card.
- Once submitted, a temporary application file number is generated.
Applicants must then provide biometric data (fingerprints and facial image) at any designated airport or Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) located in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, or Kochi.
After successful biometric verification, the application is processed and approved. Applicants receive an acknowledgement message via email and SMS. The verification process typically takes 10 days to one month.
A Step Toward Seamless Travel
The e-Gate rollout marks a significant step toward digitizing India’s border control system and aligning it with global standards. For millions of NRIs and OCI cardholders, it promises a faster, smoother, and paperless travel experience — provided they bring the right documents and leave the Aadhaar card behind.
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