International passengers flying out of India will no longer need to carry a physical boarding pass or get it stamped at immigration from Sept. 1. They can use e-boarding passes on their phones during the immigration process.
The Bureau of Immigration has informed international airport operators and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) about the change. The new system is expected to make immigration faster and more convenient for passengers.
The move will reduce paperwork and make airport travel easier, especially for passengers already using digital boarding passes provided by airlines.
According to Hindustan Times, Delhi Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) Deepak Yadav said the mandatory requirement for physical boarding passes and immigration stamping will end at all international airports across India from September.
"The matter has been examined by the Bureau of Immigration and it has now been decided to do away with the mandatory requirement of physical boarding passes and the stamping of boarding passes at Immigration counters, at all international airports in the country," the internal communication read.
Reason Behind The Decision
The communication said that the existing requirement for passengers to show physical boarding passes caused inconvenience. It also noted that errors in reading boarding passes had been reported due to improper stamping. These issues were leading to delays and difficulties during the clearance process at international airports.
Are Physical Passes Still Allowed?
As per the rules, passengers can produce physical boarding passes even after Sept. 1. However, these will no longer be stamped.
"Passengers may produce their e-boarding passes at the Immigration counters for clearance. It may, however, be clarified that physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted at the Immigration counters, however, these will not be stamped," the communication added.
With a week left for the implementation of the new rule, the Bureau of Immigration has asked airport and aviation stakeholders to sensitise their staff about the change to ensure smooth implementation and avoid confusion among passengers.
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