Immigration Check Just by Walking? Indian Port's Challenge with "Face Recognition" for Cruise Travel - What is the Future Immigration System with Zero Wait Time?

The ship arrived at the port. Before me spread a city I was visiting for the first time. However, that doesn't necessarily mean I can immediately set off for sightseeing. I have to wait in line for immigration, present my passport, and complete identity verification.

In India, a concept is underway to change this "pre-landing time" of a sea voyage.

According to the economic newspaper The Hindu BusinessLine, a trial introduction of an AI-based facial recognition immigration corridor for international cruise travelers has been proposed at Cochin Port in Kerala, southern India. Cochin is also known as Kochi, a different port from Japan's Kochi Port.

The goal is to create a system where travelers are verified as they walk through a corridor equipped with cameras. If realized, it could reduce the instances where individuals have to stop to have their passports read.

However, this is not news that "you can already enter the country just by walking." It is necessary to separate the expected effects from the issues that need to be verified in the future.

A system where "AI doesn't decide everything," but staff verify

According to BusinessLine, this pilot project is a concept being advanced in cooperation with India's immigration authorities and the Indian Ports Association (IPA).

Cameras capture travelers' faces and perform real-time identity verification. Meanwhile, for those the system determines require further verification, immigration officers are expected to ask questions, among other things.

It is important to note that a system warning and the identification of fraud are not the same. Additional verification may be necessary if the face cannot be sufficiently read or if matching fails.

The original article does not provide technical details on the criteria for issuing warnings. It is premature to understand it as "AI identifying dangerous individuals by looking at faces."

Moreover, while the IPA has indicated a policy to support the project with its budget, it is still in the stage of considering soliciting expressions of interest from operators and bidding. The start date, usage conditions, and pre-registration methods will need to be specified in the future.

In cruise travel, waiting time cuts into "time spent in the city"

There is significance in the fact that this plan is being considered at a cruise port.

On cruises, many travelers disembark at the same time. The time spent at the port of call is also limited by the ship's departure time. If immigration procedures take time, the time available for sightseeing, dining, and shopping is reduced accordingly.

If the time required to complete the procedures becomes more predictable, it will be easier for shuttle bus and guided tour operators to schedule their plans. This is a potential future effect and not a result demonstrated by the current trial.

Regarding the current cruise immigration procedures in India, BusinessLine reports that travelers must submit fingerprint information at a counter upon arrival, and immigration officers may collect fingerprints onboard during the voyage. According to the IPA, rooms that could otherwise be sold must be secured for onboard processing, which also burdens the operators.

In other words, this concept is an attempt to reduce not only the burden on travelers but also the operational burden on ships and ports.

The background is a national strategy aiming for 1 million sea tourists

In September 2024, the Indian government launched the "Cruise Bharat Mission." According to the government's announcement, the goal is to increase the number of ocean cruise passengers to 1 million by 2029.

The measures include not only the development of facilities such as terminals but also digitalization, including facial recognition, and the streamlining of embarkation, disembarkation, and port visit procedures. Improving the flow of people, not just building large facilities, is positioned as part of tourism promotion.

According to BusinessLine, in the 2025-26 fiscal year, Indian ports handled 212 cruise ship calls, with a total of approximately 463,000 domestic and international passengers. Of these, international passengers accounted for 48,514, about 10% of the total.

The trial at Cochin Port is an effort to improve the reception of these international cruises. However, the initial target is limited to cruise travelers at this port, and broader deployment will be determined based on the trial's operational results.

Expectations and confusion on social media—Voices from Singapore, a forerunner

Regarding the Cochin Port plan, direct social media reactions from general users were not sufficiently gathered from the publicly available information.

What is informative, however, are posts about Singapore's passport-less entry and exit procedures, which are ahead of Cochin Port. The following are user voices concerning a different system, not reactions to Cochin Port.

In May 2025, a Reddit user claiming to be a Singaporean posted about being repeatedly asked to have their passport read at Changi Airport and inquired about the reason. The poster explained that there was no problem with the recognition itself and seemed attracted to the system of passing without presenting a passport.

Replies included advice to check the registration status of biometric information and shared experiences of being instructed to prepare a passport. However, the causes were mixed with user speculation and were not definitive explanations from authorities.

In another Reddit discussion in October 2024, questions arose about what would happen if someone arrived at their destination without their passport, despite the system's introduction. In response, there were points about airline verification and separate entry requirements at the destination.

A few posts cannot be considered representative of public opinion. However, they do reveal what users want to know. It's not just about "speed," but also questions directly related to the travel experience, such as "Am I eligible?" "What if I can't pass?" and "When is a passport necessary?"

"Not presenting a passport" and "not needing a passport" are different

A common misunderstanding with facial recognition procedures is the expression "passport-less."

Singapore's immigration authorities guide that for eligible travelers, procedures are conducted using facial and iris biometric information without presenting a passport. However, this does not mean that a passport is not needed for international travel.

Similarly, the Cochin Port plan should be understood as a concept to reduce passport presentation and reading, not as eliminating travel conditions such as passports and visas.

The current report does not clarify when facial information will be registered or how it will be linked to passport and boarding information. Even if visible procedures at the counter for travelers are reduced, pre-registration and verification of information may still be necessary.

It is essential to clearly explain this difference in traveler guidance.

Japan is also advancing efforts to consolidate immigration and customs procedures

For Japan, this is not just a story of a distant country.

Japanese customs have introduced the operation of "joint kiosks," which can provide information required for immigration and customs declarations. The system reads passports and Visit Japan Web QR codes and takes facial photographs on a shared terminal.

According to customs explanations, Japanese travelers who complete procedures at the joint kiosk can finish their return procedures at a walk-through gate or a facial recognition gate, depending on the equipment. Foreign travelers complete immigration procedures at a dedicated booth for joint kiosk users.

Furthermore, travelers who use the joint kiosk and are deemed unnecessary for customs inspection can complete customs procedures through facial recognition at the E-gate.

However, the system at Japanese airports and the corridor being considered at Indian ports are not the same. It is crucial not to confuse the target audience, pre-operations, and the roles of immigration and customs.

For Japanese ports, the suggestion is not only about the speed of a single authentication device but also about reviewing the entire flow from disembarkation to immigration, customs, and bus stops. Even if one spot becomes faster, if people stall further along, the perceived waiting time for travelers will not sufficiently decrease.

What determines success is the response to those who "couldn't pass"

Identity verification by AI is convenient if you only look at the scenes where it runs smoothly. However, to evaluate it as a port service, it is necessary to consider the response to those who couldn't pass.

For example, if travelers don't understand why they couldn't be recognized and aren't directed where to go, they will feel anxious. If only one person in a group requires additional verification, there will also be a need for places for companions to wait and ways to contact tours.

The design must also accommodate walking speed, height, wheelchair use, and other factors for ease of use. These points are not confirmed details of the currently announced plan but are issues to be verified in practice.

The handling of facial information is also important. What information is stored, how long it is kept, who can access it, and whether it will be used for other purposes must be explained in a way users can understand.

Moreover, just because the system requests additional verification does not mean the traveler has committed fraud. Proper verification by staff and the ability to correct errors are necessary for building trust in efficiency.

What AI should increase is the time travelers can freely use

The Cochin Port plan is noteworthy because it has the potential to change the landscape of immigration.

Instead of travelers stopping at a counter, identity verification is performed in line with human movement. If successfully implemented, limited port call time can be redirected to time spent in the city.

However, at this stage, it is unknown how many minutes of waiting time will be reduced or how many people can be processed. It is first necessary to verify speed, accuracy, response during congestion, and explanations to users through trials.

For Japanese tourist destinations and ports, the question is not just about the achievement of introducing AI.

Can travelers navigate without confusion, receive help when needed, and head out into the city with peace of mind? The value of new immigration procedures will likely be judged by that experience.

Sources & Reference URLs

1. The Hindu BusinessLine: Original article reporting on the AI immigration corridor concept at Cochin Port. Basis for the project's target, IPA's explanation, current procedures, passenger numbers, etc. Published on October 15, 2026, updated on the 16th.
   https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/kochi-port-set-to-cruise-into-the-future-of-ai-immigration/article71588895.ece

2. Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India: Official announcement regarding the launch of the Cruise Bharat Mission. Confirmation of the goal of 1 million ocean cruise passengers by 2029 and the digitalization policy including facial recognition.
   https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2060272&lang=1&reg=3Press Information Bureau

3. Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore: Official guide on passport-less procedures at Changi Airport. Reference to facial and iris recognition and eligible travelers.
   https://www.ica.gov.sg/news-and-publications/newsroom/media-release/passport-less-clearance-fully-rolled-out-at-changi-airportica.gov.sg

4. Japanese Customs: Guide on the operation of joint kiosks. Confirmation of the unification of information provision for immigration and customs, differences in procedures for Japanese and foreign travelers, and conditions for passing through walk-through.
   https://www.customs.go.jp/kaigairyoko/pilot_kiosk.htmlcustoms.go.jp

5. Reddit - r/askSingapore: User post and replies from May 20, 2025. Experience of being asked to have a passport read at Changi Airport and discussion on usage conditions. Individual post, with speculation on causes not treated as official information.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/askSingapore/comments/1kr1uxq/reddit.com

6. Reddit - r/singapore: Discussion on the introduction of the system from October 24, 2024. User reactions regarding the need for passport possession and separate requirements at the destination despite "passport-less" procedures.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1gauhm9/