The Immigration Queue at Indian Airports: An Honest Guide for International Travellers (2026)

The immigration queue is one of the most common complaints from international travellers arriving in India. Most long-haul flights land between 11 PM and 4 AM, and at peak times the lines at Delhi T3 and Mumbai T2 can be long. Here is an honest picture of how it works and what help is available.

Who runs immigration?

Immigration at Indian airports is run by the Bureau of Immigration, a government agency. Every traveller sees an immigration officer, and how long processing takes is at the officer's discretion. No private company — including us — can promise a clearance time.

The free government e-gates (FTI-TTP)

The Government of India runs the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), free e-gates for enrolled Indian passport and OCI cardholders. It is a government programme (FTI-TTP); we do not provide it or enrol you in it. On a foreign passport you use the standard counters — see our guide for foreign visitors.

What our plans include at immigration

At Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, our Premium and Elite plans on international flights include a host who stays with you in the immigration queue. The rest of the plan works as usual — you are met, your bags are handled and you are escorted to your car. The exact inclusions for each plan and airport are listed at checkout. See immigration assistance and meet & greet.

The host does not take you past the queue or speed up the officer. What changes is that you are not on your own in it: someone who knows the terminal is beside you, your paperwork is ready before you reach the counter, and the next steps — baggage, customs, the car — are already arranged.

Before you land

• Have your passport, approved e-Visa or visa, and return ticket ready.
• Know where you are staying — officers may ask.
• Plan your pickup around the queue rather than a fixed exit time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can anyone get me through immigration faster in India? A: No. Immigration is run by the Bureau of Immigration and processing time is at the officer's discretion. A host can stay with you in the queue; nobody can shorten it.

Q: Is the host available for all passport holders? A: Yes — every nationality. Your host is familiar with e-Visa, visa-on-arrival and regular visa processes.

Q: What if my flight is delayed? A: Our team monitors flights, and your host adjusts to the actual arrival time.