Faster entry into US for Indian travellers

Low-risk Indian travellers to the US from now on would experience speedy entry into the country after landing, with India making a formal entry into an American initiative.

President Donald Trump welcomed India's entry into the International Expedited Traveler Initiative (Global Entry Program), saying it would facilitate closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the US.

The India-US joint statement, issued after talks between Trump and Modi, said the US president applauded the entrepreneurship of Indians and Indian-Americans that have directly benefited both nations.

The citizens of Switzerland and the United Kingdom are also part of the programme, which India has now joined.

Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programme which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the US.

On landing at select airports, the programme members enter the US through automatic kiosks, instead of queueing up to clear the immigration by meeting an immigration officer.

At these airports, the members proceed to the Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or US permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration.

The kiosk then issues the traveller a transaction receipt and directs him or her to the baggage claim and the exit.

Travellers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry programme. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment, the CBP website says.

Source: .khaleej Times