Sunday, May 29 2005 09:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Long queues at the immigration counters in international airports, especially in Delhi and Mumbai, could become a thing of the past when a new system is introduced later this year to provide hassle-free entry to foreign and Indian passengers coming from abroad.

Following persistent demands by Tourism and Civil Aviation Ministries, the Home Ministry has issued a notification to introduce the 'Advanced Passenger Information System' (APIS) from Oct 1, 2005, official sources said.

Under the scheme, passenger manifest would be sent by the airlines to the immigration authorities in India as soon as a flight takes off for an Indian destination. This could help pre-checking of the passengers and their faster clearance even before the flight lands in the Country.

The move is part of the overall efforts to enhance facilitation to foreign tourists, including the recently launched 'Swagat Seva' pilot project at Delhi's IGI Airport.

The authorities are also planning to have separate counters for Indian passport holders returning from abroad.

Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury has taken up the issue with the Home Ministry and has held several rounds of meetings also with her Civil Aviation counterpart Praful Patel.