Definition
The passport check at which officers decide whether you may leave or enter a country. Leaving India, you clear immigration after check-in; abroad, officers check your visa, return ticket, hotel bookings and funds before admitting you.
Leaving India
After check-in and before security, an immigration officer checks your passport, your visa for the destination and your boarding pass, and may ask the purpose of the trip. Holders of ECR passports going to some countries can face extra questions; see emigration check.
At major airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi and Ahmedabad, Indian citizens and OCI cardholders can enrol in the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP). You apply online, give fingerprints and a photo once, and then use automated e-gates on departure and arrival.
Arriving abroad
The officer's job is to check that you are a genuine visitor. Expect to show:
- A passport with enough validity left. See six-month passport validity.
- A visa, e-visa approval or proof of visa-free eligibility.
- A return or onward ticket, and hotel bookings.
- In some countries, proof of funds or travel insurance.
Many countries now want an online arrival card before you land, such as Thailand's TDAC, Singapore's SG Arrival Card and Malaysia's MDAC. These usually open three days before arrival.
An example
A Delhi family of four lands in Bangkok at 6 am in December, when queues at Suvarnabhumi can take 45–90 minutes. They submitted their TDAC forms the day before, keep printed hotel vouchers and return tickets in the cabin bag, and stand in line together so the officer can see the children with both parents.
Tips
Answer briefly and truthfully, don't joke about overstaying or working, and keep documents in your hand luggage. In Schengen countries, border systems now record fingerprints and a facial image at your first entry, so allow extra time.