India scraps physical boarding passes for international travellers from Sept 1

International travelers departing from India will no longer need to present or have their physical boarding passes stamped at immigration counters as of September 1. This directive aims to simplify the travel process for passengers.

While physical boarding passes will still be accepted, immigration officers will not be stamping them. Instead, travelers can opt to show an electronic boarding pass on their smartphones for immigration clearance. This move is expected to reduce queues and enhance efficiency at airports.

The Bureau of Immigration, operating under India's Ministry of Home Affairs, communicated this decision to airport authorities. The existing stamping requirement was identified as a source of inconvenience for passengers. The decision to eliminate the mandatory stamping of physical boarding passes is intended to streamline the immigration process across all international airports in the country.

Officials also pointed to instances where improperly or incorrectly stamped boarding passes led to errors. By moving towards digital verification, the authorities hope to minimize such mistakes and further expedite the immigration procedures for international travelers.