Immigration in India

[din132]

I have travel ticket to US in Air India flight with following itinerary.

 

Departing from Chennai International Terminal and Arriving at Delhi International Terminal (T3)

Departing from Delhi International Terminal (T3) to Chicago, US

 

When I called Air India customer care, one person was telling as Chennai and another was saying Delhi.

 

Where will I have immigration in India? Chennai or Delhi?

 

If anyone has travelled in this route recently, please clarify. Thanks.

 

[jairichi]

I have travel ticket to US in Air India flight with following itinerary.

 

Departing from Chennai International Terminal and Arriving at Delhi International Terminal (T3)

Departing from Delhi International Terminal (T3) to Chicago, US

 

When I called Air India customer care, one person was telling as Chennai and another was saying Delhi.

 

Where will I have immigration in India? Chennai or Delhi?

 

If anyone has travelled in this route recently, please clarify. Thanks.

Your port of exit is Delhi where you will have to clear Indian immigration.

[rahul412]

I have travel ticket to US in Air India flight with following itinerary.

 

Departing from Chennai International Terminal and Arriving at Delhi International Terminal (T3)

Departing from Delhi International Terminal (T3) to Chicago, US

 

When I called Air India customer care, one person was telling as Chennai and another was saying Delhi.

 

Where will I have immigration in India? Chennai or Delhi?

 

If anyone has travelled in this route recently, please clarify. Thanks.

The flight which takes you out of your country will be your international flight and that airport will be your port of departure.

[din132]

Your port of exit is Delhi where you will have to clear Indian immigration.

 

I am heading to US from Chennai via Delhi.

 

I am boarding in international Airports in both Chennai and Delhi and hence this question.

[din132]

I am heading to US from Chennai via Delhi.

 

I am boarding in international Airports in both Chennai and Delhi and hence this question.

 

Your port of exit is Delhi where you will have to clear Indian immigration.

[omshiv]

why are you worried where its going to be?

[rahul412]

I am heading to US from Chennai via Delhi.

 

I am boarding in international Airports in both Chennai and Delhi and hence this question.

You will be boarding from international airports, but at Chennai you will board through domestic terminal whereas in Delhi it will be international terminal.

[pontevecchio]

It should be Chennai.

[xfitter]

Your port of exit is Delhi where you will have to clear Indian immigration.

Need not be right, especially if he gets boarding pass for travel until the US POE.

 

I recently (mid August 2013) travelled on Air India from Kochi, India to USA. Kochi-Delhi-JFK route. My emigration clearance was at Kochi, NOT Delhi. My visa, passport were verified and stamped at Kochi. At Delhi airport, there is an international transfer facility for Air India, where you do NOT have to undergo emigration again. You will however have to undergo security check again, and they will need to see your boarding pass for ongoing travel to US at a gazillion different points in the international terminal.

 

And do NOT discard your Chennai-Delhi boarding pass. They will need that at the international transfer facility.

 

As a sidenote, on my travel from US to India, I went through this international travel facility at Delhi without having to go through immigration and customs clearance. These were done at Kochi, not Delhi.

 

You should get a through check-in for your baggages too. I got it.

[din132]

The flight which takes you out of your country will be your international flight and that airport will be your port of departure.

 

Thanks Rahul. That is my understanding as well.

 

But my doubt is will I be able to board the Delhi flight in international airport in Chennai without going through Immigration?

[jairichi]

Thanks Rahul. That is my understanding as well.

 

But my doubt is will I be able to board the Delhi flight in international airport in Chennai without going through Immigration?

The flight from Chennai to Delhi is considered domestic even though you take off from international terminal due to airport restructuring at Chennai. Tell us what flight it is?

[din132]

The flight from Chennai to Delhi is considered domestic even though you take off from international terminal due to airport restructuring at Chennai. Tell us what flight it is?

 

Boarding in Air India flight (AI-43) in Chennai International Air Port to fly to Delhi International Airport and from there to US in Air India flight (AI-127)

[jairichi]

Need not be right, especially if he gets boarding pass for travel until the US POE.

 

I recently (mid August 2013) travelled on Air India from Kochi, India to USA. Kochi-Delhi-JFK route. My emigration clearance was at Kochi, NOT Delhi. My visa, passport were verified and stamped at Kochi. At Delhi airport, there is an international transfer facility for Air India, where you do NOT have to undergo emigration again. You will however have to undergo security check again, and they will need to see your boarding pass for ongoing travel to US at a gazillion different points in the international terminal.

 

And do NOT discard your Chennai-Delhi boarding pass. They will need that at the international transfer facility.

 

As a sidenote, on my travel from US to India, I went through this international travel facility at Delhi without having to go through immigration and customs clearance. These were done at Kochi, not Delhi.

 

You should get a through check-in for your baggages too. I got it.

@xfitter: Thank you for letting us know your experience

[din132]

Need not be right, especially if he gets boarding pass for travel until the US POE.

 

I recently (mid August 2013) travelled on Air India from Kochi, India to USA. Kochi-Delhi-JFK route. My emigration clearance was at Kochi, NOT Delhi. My visa, passport were verified and stamped at Kochi. At Delhi airport, there is an international transfer facility for Air India, where you do NOT have to undergo emigration again. You will however have to undergo security check again, and they will need to see your boarding pass for ongoing travel to US at a gazillion different points in the international terminal.

 

And do NOT discard your Chennai-Delhi boarding pass. They will need that at the international transfer facility.

 

As a sidenote, on my travel from US to India, I went through this international travel facility at Delhi without having to go through immigration and customs clearance. These were done at Kochi, not Delhi.

 

You should get a through check-in for your baggages too. I got it.

 

Thanks for update.

 

Hope we don't need to collect baggages in Delhi and hand over to connecting flights.

 

How much time it will take to go through international travel facility at Delhi airport (Terminal-3) to catch the connection flight? Gates will be in same floor in T3?

[rahul412]

 

I recently (mid August 2013) travelled on Air India from Kochi, India to USA. Kochi-Delhi-JFK route. My emigration clearance was at Kochi, NOT Delhi. My visa, passport were verified and stamped at Kochi. At Delhi airport, there is an international transfer facility for Air India, where you do NOT have to undergo emigration again. You will however have to undergo security check again, and they will need to see your boarding pass for ongoing travel to US at a gazillion different points in the international terminal.

 

And do NOT discard your Chennai-Delhi boarding pass. They will need that at the international transfer facility.

As far as my knowledge is concerned, flights traveling within a country are domestic flights which means you won't need immigration check. Immigration check should be done where you board the international flight.

[jairichi]

As far as my knowledge is concerned, flights traveling within a country are domestic flights which means you won't need immigration check. Immigration check should be done where you board the international flight.

@ rahul412: That is my understanding too. But, looks like xfitter has gone through this situation

[jairichi]

@din132: Best is to ask everything in detail at Air India counter where you collect your boarding pass

[rahul412]

As a matter of fact, this is not an issue at all. Once you enter into airport everything will be done as per the procedure. If you have any doubts just ask them, you won't even enter into the flight without completing all the paperwork at that particular airport.

[xfitter]

As far as my knowledge is concerned, flights traveling within a country are domestic flights which means you won't need immigration check. Immigration check should be done where you board the international flight.

Logically, that may sound right and you may be right, I can't say. In my case, it was different, not sure if I'm lucky or if this is the standard process for Air India. I think OP just needs to present the full itinerary at Chennai and should be good. Here I assume OP bought his full ticket in one itinerary (and not Chennai-Delhi as a separate ticket)

 

 

Thanks for update.

 

Hope we don't need to collect baggages in Delhi and hand over to connecting flights.

 

How much time it will take to go through international travel facility at Delhi airport (Terminal-3) to catch the connection flight? Gates will be in same floor in T3?

You do not have to transfer your check-in baggages at Delhi. It should be picked up at US POE. At Chennai, ask them for through check in to your final destination in US, so your bags will be tagged to the final US destination. For me, they gave boarding pass until JFK and baggage tags until final destination in US. At JFK, I had to go through US immigration, collect my bags, go through US customs & check in bags again and get boarding pass from Delta for connection flight - it was a smooth process.

 

It takes some time, at least an hour to get through to international terminal at Delhi. It is a long walk to your gate, however, you have several moving walkways along the way, but the security check before you get to international terminal takes long time. If you are by yourself, it should not be a big deal. It is a bit tough, especially when travelling with children. Gate may not be same floor, but you have nothing to worry here. As you walk down to the plane, you will see a security guy at every corner asking for your boarding pass. :)

 

Strange but I was told by AI that the default meal plan for everyone is vegetarian, so if anyone wanted non-vegetarian food, had to reserve it while booking tickets. This was for my trip from US to India. However, they did later provide some chicken curry. 

[rahul412]

Logically, that may sound right and you may be right, I can't say. In my case, it was different, not sure if I'm lucky or if this is the standard process for Air India. I think OP just needs to present the full itinerary at Chennai and should be good. Here I assume OP bought his full ticket in one itinerary (and not Chennai-Delhi as a separate ticket)

If that's true, then what about the people who doesn't broad international flight at delhi they don't need to go through immigration clearance at Chennai,am I right??

[xfitter]

If that's true, then what about the people who doesn't broad international flight at delhi they don't need to go through immigration clearance at Chennai,am I right??

 I think it depends on the itinerary you show to the ticketing staff whether you they consider you a domestic or international traveler. Or, even more, it probably depends on whether you are boarding the flight from a domestic terminal or international terminal, I am not sure. Most likely, people boarding from international terminal may have to undergo emigration check. This is just my guess. And I'll stop guessing here, as I don't think the OP benefits from further discussion.

 

OP, When you deplane at Delhi, there will be Air India staff yelling 'International Transfers' go this way, and point you to the path to proceed. Just follow their directions initially, and after security clearance, follow your gate number. Safe trip.

[din132]

As a matter of fact, this is not an issue at all. Once you enter into airport everything will be done as per the procedure. If you have any doubts just ask them, you won't even enter into the flight without completing all the paperwork at that particular airport.

 

I have travelled to US for 15 times; have fair understanding of how things will work in Airport & transit place. But I need to educate my parents who are first time traveler and travelling alone. Not sure about new Airport procedures and current immigration formalities; hence created this thread.

 

Thanks all for responding and sharing your views.

[jairichi]

Looks like solution is simple. If flight leaves from domestic terminal no need to pass through immigration as immigration counters are located only in international terminal. Since OP boards the flight at international terminal in Chennai he has to clear immigration at Chennai. I believe it is the same with xfitter.

[rahul412]

I have travelled to US for 15 times; have fair understanding of how things will work in Airport & transit place. But I need to educate my parents who are first time traveler and travelling alone. Not sure about new Airport procedures and current immigration formalities; hence created this thread.

 

Thanks all for responding and sharing your views.

Sorry, I thought that was for you.

[omshiv]

I have travelled to US for 15 times; have fair understanding of how things will work in Airport & transit place. But I need to educate my parents who are first time traveler and travelling alone. Not sure about new Airport procedures and current immigration formalities; hence created this thread.

 

 

If you have travelled 15 times..then you should be advising us and your parents should not have any problems. Anways they can always ask questions as both Flights are in India and I believe they can speak the local language.