Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) offices should be established at the headquarters of all states across India by 2027. The move is aimed at strengthening immigration management, improving services for foreign nationals and creating a more efficient system to handle international passenger movement across the country. Shah made the announcement while reviewing India's immigration system, passenger facilities and security arrangements at major airports. The meeting was conducted jointly with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and was attended by senior officials from various ministries and agencies involved in airport operations and security.
The discussions focused on improving airport infrastructure, streamlining immigration procedures and adopting technology-driven solutions to enhance passenger experience. At present, India has 12 FRRO offices operating in major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Amritsar, Goa, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Lucknow. The expansion plan will increase the reach of FRRO services to state headquarters, making immigration-related assistance more accessible and reducing dependence on a limited number of regional offices.
During the meeting, Shah also directed authorities to operationalise authorised immigration checkpoints at Agartala and Jewar (Noida) airports at the earliest. These checkpoints are expected to strengthen international connectivity and improve immigration facilities at emerging aviation hubs. Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Civil Aviation Ministry were instructed to coordinate for the timely implementation of these measures. The Home Minister also stressed the need to increase awareness and participation in the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Travellers’ Programme (FTI-TTP).
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He suggested creating a mechanism in coordination with airlines to send WhatsApp notifications to passengers while booking international tickets, encouraging eligible travellers to register for the programme. The initiative is designed to speed up immigration clearance for pre-verified passengers and reduce waiting times at airports. Shah further directed that the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) should be introduced in a phased manner at airports across the country. The technology-based baggage handling system is expected to reduce manual intervention, improve operational efficiency and lower human resource requirements.
He also instructed authorities to establish suitable standards for implementing ATRS at upcoming airports during the planning stage itself. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Union Home Secretary, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Civil Aviation Secretary, Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Airports Authority of India Chairman and other senior officers from the two ministries. The participation of multiple agencies highlighted the government's focus on integrating security, technology and passenger convenience in India's expanding aviation sector.
Shah also reviewed the expansion of baggage drop facilities, directing that the service currently available at 16 major airports should be extended to other international airports with high passenger traffic. The initiative is expected to reduce congestion at check-in counters and improve overall airport efficiency. The government's roadmap reflects its broader effort to modernise India's aviation infrastructure as international travel continues to grow. By expanding FRRO services, improving immigration technology and upgrading passenger facilities, authorities aim to create a more secure, faster and passenger-friendly international travel system across the country.
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