The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Total budget for all the project is Nu 603 million
After the successful completion of the installation of automated immigration clearance system (AICS) at the Pedestrian Terminal in Phuentsholing, the Ministry of Home Affairs plans to implement the same at the Paro International Airport.
Lyonpo Tshering, the Minister of Home Affairs, during the Meet-the-Press shared that by the end of 13th Five-Year-Plan the AICS will be implemented in other designated entry ports and a budget of Nu 603 million has been allocated.
Lyonpo said that after the completion of the E-gates system, mobile or portable AICS will also be implemented for people entering or exiting the country by vehicle.
Currently, 10 automated lanes are set up at the entry terminal and 8 automated lanes are set up in the exit terminal of the pedestrian terminal, Phuentsholing.
Each automated lane clears 1 eligible individual every 4 seconds. This means that in 4 seconds, 10 automated lanes will clear 10 individuals during entry, and 8 automated lanes will clear 8 individuals during exit.
Lyonpo said, “The clearance from automated lanes is not only fast but it also ensures accuracy in verification of identity of the individual entering or exiting our country. The efficiency of immigration clearance will increase further as more individuals get their biometrics enrolled and more users get acquainted with how to use the automated lanes.”
“For individuals who are not eligible, are unable or do not want to use the automated lanes, there are 6 Manual Counters at the Entry Terminal and 4 Manual counters at the Exit Terminal,” he added.
The system aims to streamline border operations and improve security at key checkpoints.
AICS leverages advanced technology, including biometric verification and data integration, to optimize the clearance process.
This will reduce queues and wait times, enabling faster movement at the border checkpoints.
Further, the system offers highly accurate identity verification through facial recognition, significantly reducing the risks of identity fraud.
