Flier data to land before flight

New Delhi: Come April 1, Indian immigration authorities will know exactly who they will be welcoming at major airports much before flights land.
India has made it mandatory for all international airlines to provide information about the passengers and crew on board to immigration officials at the destination airport.
The Advance Passenger Information System (Apis) will not only pave the way for “enhanced screening of passengers”, but will “also facilitate expeditious immigration clearance”, junior home minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said.
The name, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport details such as the country of issue and country of permanent residence, and visa details of each passenger and crew member have to be sent within 15 minutes of take-off.
Sources said an Apis pilot project had been implemented at the Indira Gandhi International Airport since July 1, 2006. From April 1, Apis will be in place at airports in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kochi. It will be extended to all other international airports later.
10/03/08 Bhavana Vij-Aurora/The Telegraph

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Categories: Airports Mar 2008, Foreign Mar 2008, Indian Aviation- In General Mar 2008, Safety Mar 2008