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What is the story about?
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Sunday (November 1) that Digi Yatra has begun trials for international passengers at seven airports across India, allowing eligible Indian nationals holding e-passports to use digital identity verification at designated airport touchpoints while travelling on select international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo.
The trials, which will run from November to December 2026, are being conducted at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. Feedback from passengers during this period will be used to plan a wider rollout in 2027, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a release.
Eligible passengers can use the facility at terminal entry points, Security Hold Areas (SHA) and boarding gates, wherever the required infrastructure is available.
ALSO READ | Digi Yatra reaches 10 crore usages across 38 airports, set to expand to 27 more
To access the service, Indian nationals must create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential (VC) through the Digi Yatra mobile application. The process involves scanning the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of the e-passport, reading its embedded chip using the Near Field Communication (NFC) feature of a compatible smartphone, capturing a selfie and verifying the details.
The credential is stored in the passenger's Digi Yatra wallet on the device and can be used at airport touchpoints enabled for the trials.
The facility is intended to complement existing travel processes and will not replace mandatory documentation and checks. Passengers must continue to carry their travel documents and complete airline document checks, immigration procedures and other applicable travel formalities.
ALSO READ | Bengaluru airport begins Digi Yatra trials for select international flights
Digi Yatra Adoption
Digi Yatra has over 26.5 million users and has enabled more than 110 million journeys across 39 domestic airports, serving domestic airlines. The platform is expected to cover another 25 domestic airports by 2027.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it remains committed to using technology to improve airport operations and facilitate seamless air travel, in line with the government's Digital India and Ease of Flying initiatives.
ALSO READ | Mumbai airport can now process 8,000 passengers per hour
The trials, which will run from November to December 2026, are being conducted at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. Feedback from passengers during this period will be used to plan a wider rollout in 2027, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a release.
Eligible passengers can use the facility at terminal entry points, Security Hold Areas (SHA) and boarding gates, wherever the required infrastructure is available.
ALSO READ | Digi Yatra reaches 10 crore usages across 38 airports, set to expand to 27 more
To access the service, Indian nationals must create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential (VC) through the Digi Yatra mobile application. The process involves scanning the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of the e-passport, reading its embedded chip using the Near Field Communication (NFC) feature of a compatible smartphone, capturing a selfie and verifying the details.
The credential is stored in the passenger's Digi Yatra wallet on the device and can be used at airport touchpoints enabled for the trials.
The facility is intended to complement existing travel processes and will not replace mandatory documentation and checks. Passengers must continue to carry their travel documents and complete airline document checks, immigration procedures and other applicable travel formalities.
ALSO READ | Bengaluru airport begins Digi Yatra trials for select international flights
Digi Yatra Adoption
Digi Yatra has over 26.5 million users and has enabled more than 110 million journeys across 39 domestic airports, serving domestic airlines. The platform is expected to cover another 25 domestic airports by 2027.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it remains committed to using technology to improve airport operations and facilitate seamless air travel, in line with the government's Digital India and Ease of Flying initiatives.
ALSO READ | Mumbai airport can now process 8,000 passengers per hour
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