India has begun international Digi Yatra trials for eligible Indian e-passport holders at seven airports, with selected Air India and IndiGo flights included in testing.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the trial on 1 November 2026, covering November and December 2026. A ticket with either airline does not automatically qualify a passenger.
Key Highlights
- Seven airports are participating in the international trial.
- Indian nationals need an e-passport and a compatible smartphone.
- Only selected Air India and IndiGo international flights qualify.
- Passports, airline document checks and immigration remain compulsory.
International Digi Yatra Airports and Eligible Flights
The participating airports are Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin (Kochi), Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry’s announcement.
The announcement names Air India and IndiGo but does not provide flight numbers or a route-by-route eligibility list. Travellers should confirm their specific departure with the airline or airport rather than assume every overseas flight is covered.
Even within a participating airport, availability can differ between checkpoints. Bengaluru airport’s trial announcement, dated 27 October, initially covers terminal entry and security, with boarding potentially added for selected flights.
That distinction affects the journey: using facial verification at the entrance does not establish that it will also work at the boarding gate. PTI’s post sharing the ministry announcement reports the seven-airport trial.
Who Can Use E-Passport Verification?
The trial requires more than an existing domestic Digi Yatra account. The government’s eligibility and registration details specify Indian nationals holding e-passports and travelling on selected services.
Confirm the following before attempting registration:
- Passport: A valid Indian e-passport containing an electronic chip.
- Phone: A compatible smartphone with Near Field Communication, or NFC, to read that chip.
- Journey: An eligible international departure with supported airport checkpoints.
An e-passport remains a physical booklet. Passport Seva explains that its information appears in print and is also stored digitally in an electronic chip. A photograph of a conventional passport does not provide the chip required for this registration.
Foreign nationals are not included in the eligibility described in the November announcement.
How to Set Up E-Passport Verification in Digi Yatra
Registration creates a Verifiable Credential, a digital identity credential stored in the Digi Yatra wallet on the passenger’s device. The steps involve both reading the passport and checking the passenger’s face:
- Scan the passport’s Machine Readable Zone, or MRZ.
- Use the compatible phone’s NFC function to read the embedded chip.
- Capture a selfie and verify the details.
- Complete the process so the credential is available in the app’s wallet.
The printed passport scan and chip reading are separate steps. Merely scanning the information page does not complete the process described by the ministry.
Prepare the credential ahead of departure rather than first attempting it in the terminal queue. If the chip cannot be read or verification remains incomplete, ask the airline about the standard processing route.
IndiGo’s earlier technical trials at Bengaluru, announced on 9 April 2026, tested an integrated biometric journey. Those demonstrations preceded the current passenger trials.
Passport Checks and the 2027 Rollout
Facial verification does not remove border procedures. Bengaluru airport explicitly separates immigration and emigration from the trial and says mandatory airline document verification continues.
Carry the physical passport and other required travel documents. Digital registration does not establish visa eligibility or permission to enter the destination country.
The ministry says Digi Yatra has over 26.5 million users, with more than 110 million journeys across 39 domestic airports. These are existing platform figures, not international trial results. Another 25 domestic airports are planned for coverage by 2027; that expansion is separate from the wider international rollout planned for the same year.
Before departure, confirm flight eligibility and available checkpoints with the airline. Follow official international Digi Yatra updates for changes after the trial.
FAQs
Can I use the trial with a conventional passport?
The announced trial requires an e-passport because registration reads its embedded chip. A conventional passport scan does not meet that requirement; ask the airline about standard processing.
Does every Air India or IndiGo flight qualify?
No. The ministry specifies selected international flights without publishing flight numbers in its announcement. Confirm your particular departure instead of relying only on the airline’s name.
Is Digi Yatra registration enough to clear immigration?
Registration does not replace immigration clearance or airline document checks. Carry your passport and other required documents, and complete the formalities applicable to your international journey.
Can I register without an NFC-compatible phone?
The published registration process requires NFC to read the e-passport chip. Without a compatible device, that step cannot be completed as described in the trial announcement.
Is the wider international rollout confirmed for every airport?
A wider rollout is planned for 2027, informed by trial feedback. The November announcement does not promise that every airport, airline, or international departure will be included.
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