Kolkata airport adds biometric kiosks for e-Visa arrivals
September 13 edition · Reporting through September 11, 2026.
Four self-service biometric kiosks were reported operating at Kolkata’s international airport for travelers arriving on Indian e-Visas. The Times of India reported the deployment on September 5, describing a preliminary capture step followed by an immigration officer’s entry check.
What the kiosks do
According to the report, travelers scan their passports, register photographs and fingerprints, and take the resulting confirmation to an immigration officer. The equipment therefore handles part of the processing sequence; it does not replace the officer or constitute automatic admission.
The report also referred to similar equipment at Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. Those comparisons do not establish that every Indian airport offers the same service or follows identical procedures. VisasNews covered the Kolkata development on September 8.
Who is affected
The reported service concerns e-Visa arrivals. It should not be read as a change to the nationality, purpose, document or other conditions of India’s e-Visa system. Travelers using other immigration categories should follow the channel assigned by airport staff.
What to do before arrival
Check the applicable requirements on the official Indian e-Visa website, keep travel and approval documents available, and follow the instructions at the airport. Allow time for the officer stage after any kiosk interaction.
A biometric capture step may change the order of processing, but the reports do not establish a guaranteed total waiting time. A kiosk receipt should not be mistaken for the completed entry decision.
What remains unconfirmed
This report relies on attributed reporting rather than a separately located airport deployment notice. Current availability, staffing, downtime and individual eligibility must be checked with the responsible authorities. The news does not establish new permission to work, reside or remain longer in India.