Digi Yatra trials for international passengers have begun at seven airports across India, allowing eligible Indian citizens with e-passports to use digital identity verification at designated airport touchpoints while travelling on select international flights.
The trials, which will run through November and December 2026, are being conducted at airports in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar. The facility will initially be available to passengers travelling on select international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said feedback collected from passengers during the trial period will help shape plans for a wider rollout in 2027.
The initiative is aimed at making airport processes more seamless by using digital technology for passenger verification. However, Digi Yatra will supplement existing travel procedures and will not replace passport checks, airline document verification or immigration formalities.
The facility is being tested at seven airports:
– Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
– Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
– Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
– Cochin International Airport, Kochi
– Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai
– Chennai International Airport, Chennai
– Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar
Eligible passengers can use Digi Yatra at designated terminal entry points, Security Hold Areas (SHA) and boarding gates, wherever the required infrastructure is available.
The facility is not being introduced across all international flights at these airports. It is currently restricted to select international services operated by Air India and IndiGo.
The facility is currently available to eligible Indian citizens holding e-passports.
Passengers must generate e-passport-based Verifiable Credentials (VC) through the Digi Yatra mobile application before using the service at participating airport touchpoints.
The process involves scanning the Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ) of the e-passport, reading its embedded electronic chip through the Near Field Communication (NFC) feature of a compatible smartphone, taking a selfie and verifying the details.
Once the verification is completed, the credentials are securely stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet on their device. These credentials can then be used at airport touchpoints where the trial facility has been enabled.
No. The international passenger trials are intended to supplement existing airport and travel procedures, not replace them.
Passengers must continue to carry their passports and other required travel documents. They will also have to complete airline document verification, immigration checks and all other mandatory travel formalities.
Digi Yatra is designed to make passenger verification more convenient at enabled airport touchpoints. Its use does not exempt travellers from the existing requirements for international travel.
The trials will continue until December 2026, with passenger feedback expected to inform the next phase of implementation.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation plans to develop a broader rollout strategy for 2027 based on the experience gathered during the trial period.
The government is also expanding Digi Yatra’s presence across domestic airports. The platform currently has more than 26.5 million users and has facilitated over 110 million passenger journeys across 39 domestic airports.
Plans are underway to extend the service to another 25 domestic airports by 2027.
The expansion is part of the government’s broader Digital India initiative and its efforts to use technology to simplify air travel and improve airport operations.
