International travellers departing from Indian airports will no longer need to get their boarding passes stamped by immigration officers, in a move aimed at making the departure process faster and more digital.

The Bureau of Immigration, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, discontinued the practice from September 1, 2026. Travellers can now use e-boarding passes displayed on their smartphones during immigration clearance.

Physical Boarding Passes Still Accepted

The change does not mean passengers have to go completely paperless.

Physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted at airports. However, immigration officers will no longer affix the traditional immigration stamp to them.

The Bureau of Immigration said the decision followed feedback from international travellers who found the mandatory physical boarding-pass process inconvenient.

The move is also expected to reduce paperwork and eliminate an additional step during immigration clearance.

E-Boarding Passes Can Be Shown on Smartphones

Passengers travelling internationally can simply display their e-boarding pass on their smartphone when going through immigration.

This means travellers who have already checked in online and received a digital boarding pass will not necessarily need to print a separate copy just to complete immigration formalities.

The change also addresses situations where boarding passes were incorrectly read because of improper or unclear stamping.

Fast Track Travellers Can Use E-Passes Too

Passengers enrolled in the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) can also use e-passes at designated e-gates.

The programme uses biometric authentication to speed up immigration clearance, with eligible travellers able to complete the process significantly faster than through conventional immigration counters.

The removal of boarding-pass stamping is therefore another step towards expanding digital and automated immigration processing at Indian airports.

36 Airports Handle International Traffic

The Bureau of Immigration directive has been issued to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airports handling international operations across the country.

India currently has 36 airports with international operations. Between April and July of financial year 2026-27, these airports handled more than 2.41 crore international passengers.

With millions of international travellers passing through Indian airports, even a small reduction in processing steps could make the overall departure experience smoother.

Another Step Towards Paperless Air Travel

India’s decision brings its airport immigration process closer to the increasingly digital systems used in many parts of the world.

For passengers, the practical change is simple: an international traveller departing from India can now present an electronic boarding pass during immigration without having it stamped.

Physical passes remain valid, but the traditional immigration stamp is no longer required.

Summary

Indian airports have stopped stamping boarding passes for outbound international passengers from September 1, 2026. Travellers can display e-boarding passes on smartphones during immigration, while physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted without stamping. The move is designed to reduce paperwork, speed up immigration and support India’s broader shift towards digital airport processing.