India to end boarding pass stamping at immigration starting September 1

India is continuing to streamline and digitize procedures at its international airports.

The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), which operates under India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, has confirmed that beginning September 1, 2026, travelers will no longer need a physical boarding pass to clear immigration when departing the country.

Passengers will be able to show their electronic boarding pass directly on their phone. Those who prefer to use a paper version may continue to do so, but it will no longer receive an immigration stamp.

One less physical step when departing India

Until now, immigration officers stamped passengers’ boarding passes after completing departure immigration checks.

In a communication reported by Indian media, Deepak Yadav, Senior Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) in Delhi, explained that the procedure had created practical issues for some travelers.

According to Yadav, authorities had found that the process caused inconvenience to passengers, while cases had also been reported in which boarding passes could not be read correctly because stamps had been improperly or incorrectly applied.

Removing this physical validation step is therefore intended to make immigration clearance smoother and prevent problems caused by poorly placed or difficult-to-read stamps.

The circular also confirms that travelers who wish to continue using a paper document may do so. “Physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted at the Immigration counters,” Yadav states, although they will no longer be stamped.

Travelers enrolled in India’s Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) will also be able to use their electronic boarding passes when passing through automated immigration gates.

For passengers, the change is straightforward: no additional requirement is being introduced. Instead, India is removing a physical step and allowing travelers to use the boarding pass already available through their airline’s app.

Visas, e-Visas and the e-Arrival Card are still required to enter India

This simplification of departure immigration procedures does not change India’s entry requirements.

Foreign travelers must still hold a valid visa or e-Visa, unless a specific exemption applies. US, UK, Australian and Japanese passport holders, among many other nationalities, are eligible for India’s e-Visa, which covers travel purposes including tourism and business.

Since October 1, 2025, foreign travelers have also been required to complete an e-Arrival Card before entering India. The digital form replaced the former paper arrival card and can be submitted online within 72 hours before arrival through the official Indian Visa Online portal, the Bureau of Immigration website, or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app, available on iOS and Android.

India also reactivated Air Suvidha on June 25, 2026, under a new “Air Suvidha 2.0” system. The digital health declaration for international travelers can be completed online up to 24 hours before arrival. The system was brought back as part of strengthened health surveillance at points of entry.