IVFRT Scheme Extended to 2031: Digital Immigration Reform, Security & Tourism Boost

The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme beyond 31 March, 2026.

• The scheme has covered 117 Immigration Posts (JPs), 15 Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) and 854 Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs)/Superintendents of Police (SPs)/Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) across the country.
• IVFRT system has enabled a 100% contactless and faceless visa process with online appointment scheduling and payment facilities, leading to faster visa processing times with 91.24% of e-Visa applications have been cleared within 72 hours during the past five years

About Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking Scheme

• Objective:  
• • To interlink and optimize functions related to immigration, visa issuance and registration of foreigners in India. 
  • To modernize and upgrade immigration and visa services within a secure and integrated service delivery framework.
  • To facilitate legitimate travellers while strengthening national security
• Tenure: 01 April, 2026 to 31 March, 2031 
• Budget Outlay: Rs.1800 crore.
• Focus areas: 
  • emerging technology innovations
  • Transformation of Core infrastructure
  • Technology and service optimization.

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Need for Modernization of IVFRT

• Rising Global Travel Demands: The modernization of the IVFRT project is essential to meet the evolving demands of global travel and increasing cross-border mobility.
• Addressing National Security Challenges: It is crucial to tackle emerging national security challenges, including threats related to illegal migration and transnational crimes.
• Post-Legislative Requirement: Following the enactment of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, along with its Rules and Orders, there is an imperative need to strengthen the immigration framework.
• Strengthening Immigration Ecosystem: Modernization is necessary to upgrade and streamline the Immigration, Visa, and Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) system for better governance.
• Future-Ready System: It aims to effectively meet emerging requirements and future challenges in the domain of immigration control and foreigner management, ensuring a robust and responsive system.

Benefits

• Adoption of Emerging Technologies: The scheme will modernize the immigration and visa ecosystem through adoption of emerging technologies, including mobile-based services and self-service kiosks for seamless and secure passenger movement.
• Upgradation of Core Infrastructure: It will upgrade and expand core infrastructure across Immigration Posts, FRROs, and Data Centres to build a resilient and scalable system nationwide.
• Optimization of Digital Platforms & Service Delivery: It will optimize technology and service delivery by introducing unified digital platforms, revamping core application architecture, and strengthening network and deployment frameworks for improved efficiency and user experience, thereby facilitating legitimate travellers while strengthening national security.
• Promotion of Tourism and Foreign Inflow: It will help maintain service continuity and induct innovative technological solutions to attract more foreign tourists to India, thereby boosting the tourism, medical, and business sectors.
• Positive Externalities on Economy: IVFRT has immense positive externalities that would boost international traffic, business, commerce, and tourism.
• Economic Growth and Employment Generation: This would pave the way for economic growth and contribute towards employment generation opportunities.

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