Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking Scheme

The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme for five years from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031 with a ₹1,800 crore budget. It optimizes and integrates immigration, visa services, and foreigner registration, enhancing security while facilitating legitimate travel through digital platforms, mobile services, and kiosk technology.

Background: About IVFRT Scheme

• Objectives:
  • To interlink and optimize functions related to immigration, visa issuance and registration of foreigners in India.
  • To modernize and upgrade immigration and visa services within a secure and integrated service delivery framework.
  • To facilitate legitimate travellers while strengthening national security.
• Launch Year: 2010 (initial outlay ₹1,011 crore) and with project duration till September, 2014.
• Multiple extensions:
  • Up to 2017 with revised outlay ₹638.90 crore
  • Up to 2021 with no additional cost
  • Further for 5 years from 2021 to 2026 with outlay of ₹1,365 crore
  • Current extension: 5 years from 2026 to 2031 with outlay of ₹1,800 crore
• Need for latest extension:
  • Modernization of the IVFRT project to meet the evolving demands of global travel and address emerging national security challenges.
  • To effectively meet emerging requirements and future challenges in the domain of immigration control and foreigner management including illegal migration after the recent enactment of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and its subsequent Rules and Order
  • Not just a technical upgrade, but a strategic transformation aligned with the vision of the Government to promote international mobility through a world-class immigration and visa issuance system.

Features of Extended Phase of IVFRT Scheme

• Objective: It aims to expand and strengthen the scope and capacity of the existing IVFRT Scheme by
  • Reimagining and revamping the existing structure
  • Introducing the state-of-the-art technological solutions to enhance user experience without compromising the security architecture.
• This phase would focus on three broad areas
  1. Emerging technology innovations
  2. Transformation of Core infrastructure
  3. Technology and service optimization
• Coverage: 117 Immigration Posts (JPs), 15 Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) and 854 Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs)/Superintendents of Police (SPs)/Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) across the country.
• Modernize the immigration and visa ecosystem through adoption of emerging technologies, including mobile-based services and self-service kiosks for seamless and secure passenger movement.
• Upgrade and expand core infrastructure across Immigration Posts, FRROs, and Data Centres to build a resilient and scalable system nationwide.
• Optimize technology and service delivery by introducing unified digital platforms, revamping core application architecture, and strengthening network and deployment frameworks for improved efficiency and user experience, which will facilitate legitimate travellers while strengthening national security.
• Help in maintaining service continuity and induct innovative technological solutions to attract more foreign tourists in India in future. This will thus give a boost to the tourism, medical and business sectors.

Significance of IVFRT system

• Led to significant improvements in service delivery and operational efficiency across immigration and visa functions.
• Enabled a 100% contactless and faceless visa process with online appointment scheduling and payment facilities, leading to
  • Faster visa processing times with 91.24% of e-Visa applications have been cleared within 72 hours during the past five years.
  • Reduction in average passenger clearance time at Immigration Posts to 2.5-3 minutes including biometrics, from the conventional 5-6 minutes.
• Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) through automated e-gates implemented at 13 Major airports, reduced the time taken for immigration clearance from 2.5-3 minutes to 30 seconds.
  • Its enrolment is on gratis basis currently available for Indian nationals & OCI cardholders.
• Huge economic benefits on account of ease of doing business, convenience and security assurance have been made possible by IVFRT System.
  • Tourism, business, trade & commerce, service industry especially aviation and hospitality industry have been extensively benefitted by IVFRT system.
• Immense positive externalities, boosting international traffic, business, commerce, and tourism. This would pave the way for economic growth and would thus contribute towards employment opportunities.