New Delhi/Hyderabad, Aug 13 (UNI) In a major move to ease travel formalities, the Centre has simplified visa regulations, enabling issuance within a single day if all required documents are provided.
The announcement came after Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar chaired a review meeting with senior officials of the Foreign Affairs Department at North Block on Wednesday.
As part of the reforms, two new platforms- the District Police Module (DPM) and Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP)- have been introduced to strengthen monitoring of illegal immigrants and overstayers.
Officials briefed the Minister on the progress in streamlining visa processes, noting that the number of visa sub-categories has been reduced from 26 to 22, while the earlier 104 classifications have been trimmed to 69. In 2024, e-Visas accounted for 65.15 per cent of total visas issued, and average processing time has dropped from weeks to within a day.
Under the modernisation of Immigration Check Posts (ICPs), automated travel document scanning and biometric enrollment facilities have been installed. Since 2014, the number of ICPs has risen from 82 to 114 — including 37 air, 37 road, 34 sea, and six railway posts. The Fast-Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) is operational in eight major airports, allowing pre-verified passengers to clear immigration in about one minute, with expansion planned for several more airports.
Officials also highlighted that nearly 50 lakh Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards have been issued, with a revamped OCI portal now offering enhanced services. In addition, a “CAA-2019” mobile app has been developed to assist eligible minority group applicants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh seeking citizenship.
Appreciating the efforts, Bandi Sanjay urged officials to ensure that passengers face no inconvenience in visa and immigration processes and to widely publicise the Centre’s initiatives at the grassroots level, an official statement said.
