Flying abroad from India may soon involve fewer repeated document checks. The government is preparing to test Digi Yatra for international departures at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin airports between October and December 2026. Delhi and Mumbai are expected to receive the facility first, according to officials familiar with the rollout.
The first phase will not remove immigration formalities. Digi Yatra is expected to be used around terminal entry, security and possibly boarding gates. Travellers will still need their passports and must complete the usual emigration checks before departure.
Which Airports Will Test Digi Yatra For International Flights?
The proposed trial covers five major international gateways, though airport-wise start dates have not been formally announced.
Key points for passengers:
- Delhi and Mumbai are likely to be the first airports where the international version is tested.
- Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin are also included in the October–December trial window.
- The facility is planned for international departures first, not arrivals.
- Immigration will remain outside Digi Yatra during the initial phase.
- Software upgrades and security checks are expected before live passenger trials begin.
Bengaluru already has useful groundwork. In April 2026, IndiGo, Digi Yatra Foundation, Bangalore International Airport Limited and IATA completed a technical contactless international travel trial at Kempegowda International Airport. It demonstrated a digital journey from ticketing and booking management to biometric-enabled airport processing.
How Could International Digi Yatra Work With An E-Passport?
Domestic Digi Yatra mainly relies on Aadhaar-based identity enrolment. The international version is expected to take a different route and use electronic passports.
A traveller with an e-passport could scan the passport’s information page in the app, then use the phone’s NFC function to read its embedded chip. The photograph stored there would be checked against a selfie. Once verified, a digital travel credential could be created for participating airport checkpoints.
India’s Passport Seva guidance on e-passports says an e-passport contains an RFID chip holding personal and biometric information. Existing valid passports do not become invalid simply because e-passports are being introduced.
Digi Yatra also remains voluntary. The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Digi Yatra guidance has reiterated that enrolment is optional, while its privacy model keeps passenger credentials on the traveller’s device.
Why Immigration Will Still Look Familiar At First
The bigger change may happen before the immigration counter, not at it. Officials say the early trial is likely to cover terminal access, security and possibly boarding. Emigration checks will continue separately, while arriving international passengers should see no change during this phase.
India already operates another digital border-processing programme. The Home Ministry’s Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme uses e-gates for eligible Indian nationals and OCI cardholders at 14 airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin.
Another change has already reduced paper handling. From September 1, international passengers can present an electronic boarding pass at immigration instead of requiring a physical boarding pass to be stamped. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted the change in an official X update.
Digi Yatra itself has grown quickly. The Civil Aviation Ministry reported in May that it had crossed 10 crore journeys across 38 airports, with more than 2.4 crore app downloads. It also said average airport entry processing through the system had fallen from about 15 seconds to around five seconds.
What Should International Travellers Expect Next?
Passengers should not assume facial recognition will replace their passport during the trial. A physical passport will still be required for international travel, and normal airline, security and immigration rules will continue unless authorities formally change them.
The upgraded application must also clear technology and security reviews before broader testing. Longer term, Digi Yatra Foundation has been working with international aviation groups on digital credentials that could operate across airports and borders. That remains a later-stage goal.
For now, the change is narrower: some passengers departing from five major Indian airports could start using Digi Yatra at selected checkpoints before the end of 2026, with Delhi and Mumbai likely to lead.
FAQs
1. Which airports will test Digi Yatra for international flights first?
Delhi and Mumbai are expected first, followed by Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin during planned trials.
2. When will international Digi Yatra trials begin in India?
Trials are planned between October and December 2026, although airport-specific launch dates remain unannounced officially.
3. Will Digi Yatra replace immigration checks for international passengers?
No. Immigration and emigration checks will continue separately during the first phase of international testing.
4. Will passengers need an e-passport for international Digi Yatra?
The proposed system is expected to use e-passport chips for identity verification through NFC technology.
5. Is Digi Yatra mandatory for international travellers?
No. Digi Yatra remains voluntary, while standard passport procedures remain available for travellers choosing otherwise.
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