India has started rolling out self-service biometric kiosks at major airports so e-Visa travelers can register their fingerprints and photo before they reach the immigration officer. Four new kiosks are now live at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. Similar machines already operate in Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram.

If you hold an Indian e-Visa and this is your first arrival, the kiosks move the slowest part of the process out of the counter queue. The final check with an officer can now take less than a minute instead of the previous six to seven minutes.

This change matters because long immigration lines after a long flight are one of the most common frustrations for first-time visitors. The new system does not remove the officer check. It simply lets you finish the biometric work yourself first.

Which Airports Already Have the Biometric Kiosks?

Four major airports currently offer the self-service biometric kiosks for e-Visa holders:

The Airports Authority of India earlier planned 22 biometric kiosks across five airports, including the four now running in Kolkata. Further airports such as Chennai, Kozhikode, Tiruchirappalli and Amritsar were on the list, but public confirmation of their operational status is still limited.

How Do the Biometric Kiosks Work for E-Visa Travelers?

The process is simple and sequential. At airports where the kiosks are available, first-time e-Visa arrivals follow these steps:

1. Scan your passport at the kiosk (it reads both the machine-readable zone and the electronic chip).
2. Stand still for a live photograph.
3. Place your fingers on the scanner so all ten fingerprints are recorded.
4. Collect the printed confirmation slip that shows enrollment is complete.
5. Take the slip and your passport to the immigration counter for the final officer check.

Once the kiosk work is finished, the officer mainly verifies the documents and stamps the passport. Officials in Kolkata report this final step now takes less than one minute.

The kiosks are designed specifically for the mandatory biometric capture that e-Visa holders must complete on first arrival. Travelers who already received a sticker visa abroad usually had their biometrics taken earlier, so they do not need these machines in the same way.

Also read – India Ends Boarding Pass Stamping at Immigration

Why India Introduced These Kiosks Now

Biometric enrollment used to happen at the immigration counter itself. Each traveler could occupy an officer for six to seven minutes while fingerprints and a photo were taken. When several international flights landed close together, the queues grew quickly and everyone waited longer.

By moving the biometric work to self-service machines, the counters stay free for the final verification. The overall line moves faster for both e-Visa holders and other passengers. The system is part of a wider modernization that also includes the digital e-Arrival Card, which foreign travelers and OCI card holders can complete online up to 72 hours before landing through the official Indian Visa Online portal or the Su-Swagatam app.

The kiosks are not e-gates and do not allow fully automatic entry. An immigration officer still completes the process.

Practical Tips for Using the Kiosks on Arrival

Prepare a few small things before you land and the process feels straightforward:

• Have your passport open to the photo page and ready to scan.
• Remove any gloves, hats or glasses that might interfere with the photo or fingerprint scan.
• Expect to spend a few minutes at the kiosk itself before joining the shorter counter queue.
• Keep the confirmation slip with your passport until the officer finishes.
• Complete the e-Arrival Card online in the 72 hours before your flight if you have not already done so. It is separate from the biometric step but reduces paper handling.

If the kiosks are busy, staff usually guide passengers. First-time users sometimes need a moment to position their fingers correctly on the scanner. That is normal.

Travelers who have used the system at Delhi or Mumbai report that the biggest gain is mental: you finish the slow biometric work while still feeling relatively fresh after the flight, then the counter interaction is short and focused.

What This Means for Your Next Trip to India

If you are arriving on an e-Visa at Delhi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram or Kolkata, look for the biometric kiosk signs in the arrivals hall before you join the main immigration queue. Using them is currently the expected path for first-time e-Visa holders at these airports.

Not every e-Visa entry point has the kiosks yet. The list of airports and seaports that accept e-Visas is longer than the list of airports with these machines. Check which airport you will use and plan accordingly.

The official Indian e-Visa portal continues to state that biometric data are captured by immigration authorities on arrival. The new kiosks simply change where and how that capture happens at the equipped airports.

Bottom Line for Travelers

India has deployed self-service biometric kiosks at four major airports so e-Visa travelers can register their photo and fingerprints before reaching the immigration officer. Kolkata’s four new machines join existing ones in Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. The change cuts the final counter time from six or seven minutes to under one minute and helps keep overall queues shorter.

Complete the steps at the kiosk, collect the slip, and proceed to the officer. That is the current process for first-time e-Visa arrivals at the equipped airports. The system is still expanding, so confirm the latest details for your specific arrival airport before you travel.

For the latest official requirements, visit the Indian government’s e-Visa portal.