Digi Yatra to be tested for international travel at five Indian airports

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced that the Digi Yatra boarding system will be trialled for overseas journeys at five major airports, allowing passengers to board without repeatedly showing a passport.

What is Digi Yatra?

Digi Yatra is a digital boarding solution that uses biometric verification to speed up the check‑in and boarding process. For domestic flights it links the passenger’s Aadhaar details with a mobile app, while for international flights it relies on the electronic passport.

Airports selected for the trial

From October to December, the system will be tested at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi airports. Delhi and Mumbai are expected to be the first locations where the service becomes operational.

How the system will work for overseas flights

Travelers holding an e‑passport will need to scan the first page of the document at a dedicated kiosk. The kiosk reads the chip embedded in the passport and prompts the passenger to take a selfie. The selfie is then matched against the photograph stored on the chip to confirm identity. Once validated, a digital credential is generated on the passenger’s smartphone, which can be presented at the boarding gate.

Immigration counters will continue to function as usual; the new process only affects the departure side of the journey, covering terminal entry, security and the boarding gate.

Current status of e‑passports

As of 30 July, 17,316,144 e‑passports have been issued in India. For domestic flights, the Aadhaar‑based verification matches the photo on the UIDAI database with a selfie taken in the app, after which the credential appears on the phone.

Passenger experience

To use Digi Yatra, passengers must first download the official app and upload either their Aadhaar details for domestic travel or their e‑passport information for international travel. On arrival at the airport, they no longer need to present physical identification repeatedly. A facial‑recognition machine at the entry gate scans the traveller’s face, after which they can proceed through security and reach the boarding gate with minimal friction.

Future outlook

The government describes the trial as a pilot and says adjustments will be made based on feedback. The CEO of Digi Yatra has called the extension to international travel a significant milestone, and the ministry may consider rule changes if the system proves successful.