New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a five-year extension for the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) scheme. The objective of this scheme is to integrate and streamline functions related to immigration, visa issuance, and the registration of foreigners in India.
According to a statement issued by the government, the Cabinet—chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—approved the continuation of the scheme from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031, with a budgetary allocation of ₹1,800 crore.
The statement noted that the expansion of the scheme is not merely a “technical upgrade” but a strategic transformation, aligning with the government’s vision of promoting international travel through a world-class immigration and visa issuance system.
According to the statement, “Following the recently enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and subsequent rules and orders, it has become imperative to strengthen and modernize the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking system to effectively address emerging challenges related to illegal migration in the future.”
The IVFRT platform aims to integrate and streamline immigration, visa issuance, and foreigners’ registration in India by modernizing and upgrading these services within a secure, integrated service delivery framework.
Approved in 2010 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs with a budget of ₹1,011 crore, this scheme strengthens national security while facilitating travel for legitimate passengers. The initial tenure of this project was until September 2014. The statement noted, “The budget allocation for the project was revised to ₹638.90 crore in 2015, and its implementation period was subsequently extended—first until March 31, 2017, and later until March 31, 2021.”
According to the statement, the Cabinet most recently approved the continuation of this project from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026, on January 19, 2022, for which a budget of ₹1,365 crore was allocated.
