3 min readNew DelhiSep 15, 2015 02:24 AM IST
First published on: Sep 15, 2015 at 02:24 AM IST
Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the US on September 24, Home Ministry is working with US officials on India’s membership into the Global Entry programme—a US Customs and Border Protection programme that allows speedy clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the US. Such members enter the US through automatic kiosks at select airports.
Government sources said a meeting with US officials on the issue was held in New Delhi on August 28. They added that India is likely to provide an initial list of around 2,000 people whose credentials it can vouch for. India is looking to join the programme sometime next year, sources said.
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“Around 2,000 Indians will initially be on the list for the programme. These will be persons who are frequent travellers and whose details the government can vouch for after thorough verification that there are no criminal cases or economic offences registered against them and that they are of sound financial position. US agencies will carry out their own background checks,” said a government official.
Sources said former Presidents, PMs and top industrialists can be extended membership under the programme.
“Anyone can apply for the facility online, but the government will exercise its discretion. Once they are on a common database accessible by the two countries, members will be given a card that they can swipe at e-gates at US airports to avoid standing in long immigration queues. We are currently working out modalities such as the periodicity of regular checks that have to be carried out and the agency that will execute the programme,” said the official.
Travellers must be pre-approved for the programme. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment. Sources said the US had initially asked for real-time security verification of travellers on the Global Entry programme list, but India said it did not have necessary systems in place for this.
“We are working out whether such checks can be carried out every few weeks, every month, or every couple of months. If, during these regular checks in India and by US agencies, there is an adverse report against a traveller, a red flag will be raised in the common database and the traveller’s membership will be terminated,” the source said.
Officials said once the details are worked out, Indian passport holders on the membership list would have a much smoother entry in the US, encouraging bilateral trade and investment.
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