Indians could soon find it easier to travel to the US.
This follows India agreeing to complete formalities to join the US Global Entry Programme. The decision to join the programme, which allows speedy clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the US, was taken during the recent visit to the US of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programme meant for the frequent traveller and there is no minimum number of trips to qualify for the programme. Participants in the programme can enter the US by using automated kiosks located at select airports, says the US Customs and Border Protection website.
“At airports, programme participants proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passports or US permanent resident cards, place their fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a Customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveller a transaction receipt and directs the traveller to baggage claim and the exit,” the website adds.
However, travellers have to be pre-approved for the Global Entry programme. All applicants have to undergo a rigorous background check and interview before enrollment, the website states. The programme is available at over 30 US airports including Chicago’s O'Hare, New York’s John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
Senior Government officials said there was no time-frame yet for India to join the programme.
In 2011, the US Embassy and four consulates in India processed nearly 7,00,000 non-immigrant visas and more than 6,60,000 Indians travelled to the US in 2011.