Digi Yatra trials for international flyers begin at 7 airports; wider rollout planned in 2027

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday announced that Digi Yatra has started trials for international passengers at seven airports, allowing eligible Indian e-passport holders to use the digital identity verification facility on select international flights.

The trials, which will run from November to December 2026, are being conducted at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports for flights operated by Air India and IndiGo.

The facility will be available at terminal entry points, security hold areas and boarding gates, wherever the necessary infrastructure is in place.

Feedback gathered during the trial period will be used to plan a wider rollout of the facility in 2027.

To use the service, eligible Indian nationals will have to create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential 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 will be 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, and not replace, existing travel processes,” the ministry clarified.

Passengers will still be required to carry their travel documents and complete mandatory airline document checks, immigration procedures and other applicable formalities.

Digi Yatra currently has more than 26.5 million users and has facilitated over 110 million journeys across 39 domestic airports, serving domestic airlines.

Another 25 domestic airports are planned to be brought under the platform by 2027, the ministry said.

The initiative is part of the government's efforts to use digital technology to improve airport operations and facilitate seamless air travel.