Trial of Digi Yatra for international passengers begins at seven airports

Taking another step towards the use of digital technology in India's aviation sector, testing of Digi Yatra for international passengers has begun at seven airports. According to a PIB Delhi report, this testing will run from November to December 2026, the main purpose of which is to obtain passenger feedback so that this facility can be widely implemented in 2027.

Under this trial, eligible Indian citizens holding e-passports traveling on select international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo will be able to use this facility. This testing is being conducted at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. Wherever the necessary infrastructure is available, passengers will be able to avail of this facility at terminal entry points, Security Hold Area (SHA) and boarding gates.

To use the facility, eligible Indian citizens will have to create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential (VC) through the Digi Yatra mobile application. This process involves scanning the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of the e-passport, reading the embedded chip using the Near Field Communication (NFC) feature of a compatible smartphone, taking a selfie and verifying the details. This credential will be stored in the Digi Yatra wallet residing on the passenger's device.

It is noteworthy that this facility is intended to complement, not replace, existing travel processes. Passengers must carry their travel documents and complete airline document checks, immigration procedures and other mandatory travel formalities.

The use of the Digi Yatra platform is continuously increasing. It currently has more than 26.5 million users and over 110 million journeys have been completed across 39 domestic airports. There are plans to cover 25 more domestic airports by 2027. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is committed to leveraging technology to improve airport operations in line with the vision of Digital India and Ease of Flying.