International flyers from India no longer need stamped boarding passes from Sept 1

In a move aimed at easing passenger movement, the central government has decided to end the mandatory stamping of boarding passes for international travellers at all Indian airports. The new rule, effective September 1, will allow passengers to use electronic boarding passes on their smartphones for immigration clearance, officials said on Saturday.

The Bureau of Immigration (BOI), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued the directive after finding that the physical stamping of boarding passes caused inconvenience to travellers. Officials also noted that errors in reading boarding passes due to improper or incorrect stamping were being reported, prompting the decision to abolish the manual procedure.

According to the directive, passengers flying abroad will now be required to produce an e-boarding pass on their mobile devices at immigration counters. Physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted, but they will no longer be stamped by immigration authorities from the appointed day.

Security officials clarified that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had already stopped stamping boarding passes during individual frisking several years ago, for both domestic and international passengers. The only remaining stamping was being done by immigration officers, which is now being discontinued.

This change is part of a broader modernisation of immigration procedures. Officials also said a pilot project to eliminate the immigration entry and exit stamps for Indian passport holders is planned. Once the pilot exercise is successfully completed, the measure is expected to be operationalised across all Indian airports, they added.

Travel experts said the move would reduce queues and simplify the departure process for international passengers, many of whom had to stop and get their boarding passes stamped before passing through immigration. The paperless approach aligns with the government's push for digital convenience in public services.

The decision comes as air travel continues to recover and grow, with airports handling increasing numbers of international flyers. By removing a redundant physical step, authorities hope to improve efficiency while maintaining necessary security checks. Passengers are advised to keep their smartphones and e-boarding passes ready for quick verification at immigration counters.

Officials reassured that the underlying security scrutiny remains unchanged. Immigration officers will still verify travel documents and passenger details electronically, and the e-boarding pass serves as a proof of confirmed travel. The only difference is the absence of a physical stamp mark.

The directive applies to all international airports in the country, and airlines have been informed of the new procedure. Travellers who do not have access to a smartphone or face technical issues can still present a paper boarding pass, which will be checked manually without being stamped.