Digi Yatra International Trials: Airports and Eligibility
Digi Yatra international trials are running at seven Indian airports during November and December 2026, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The trial is for eligible Indian nationals with e-passports travelling on selected international flights. It is not a general replacement for passports, immigration or airline document checks.
Airports and trial scope
The official Digi Yatra trial announcement, published on 1 November, identifies Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar. Selected Air India and IndiGo international flights are involved.
The process uses an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential in the Digi Yatra app. It involves reading the passport’s machine-readable zone and embedded chip with a compatible NFC phone, capturing a selfie and verifying details. The credential is stored in the device’s Digi Yatra wallet.
Enabled touchpoints can include terminal entry, security hold areas and boarding gates where infrastructure is available. Feedback will inform planning for a wider rollout in 2027. That is a future plan, not a promise that every international route will be covered.
Check eligibility for your actual journey
Start with the airport, airline and flight you intend to use. Being at one of the listed airports is not enough to establish that your specific departure is part of the trial.
Check the current official instructions before travelling and ask the airline or airport through its normal support route if the scope is unclear. Keep the flight date and terminal in the question so the answer is relevant.
The e-passport requirement also matters. Do not assume that an existing domestic Digi Yatra setup or a non-chip passport automatically qualifies for the international trial.
Prepare without relying on the trial
Allow the normal time needed for an international departure. A trial facility should not be the reason to arrive late or skip a required check.
Carry your passport and all other documents needed for the journey. The ministry explicitly states that the facility complements existing processes rather than replacing mandatory travel formalities.
If the digital process is unavailable or does not work for your journey, follow the airport’s ordinary instructions. A successful app setup is not a guarantee that every touchpoint will be operational when you arrive.
Phone compatibility and setup
Check that your phone supports the NFC function required by the official process. A phone being able to install an app does not necessarily establish that it can complete every identity step.
Use the official application listing and published instructions. Avoid third-party services that claim to create a credential on your behalf without a clear authorised role.
Set up and verify the process in a suitable setting before the airport where possible. Keep the phone charged, but do not treat the device as a substitute for physical travel documents.
Privacy and assistance
Understand what the app asks you to provide before proceeding. If you need help, use the airport or airline’s stated assistance route rather than handing an unlocked device to an unknown person.
Do not post passport images, credentials or boarding details in public groups while asking whether you qualify. A general question can usually be asked without sharing those identifiers.
When giving trial feedback, describe the touchpoint and problem clearly while keeping private details within the authorised support channel.
What the announcement does not mean
The trial does not establish universal international availability, remove immigration requirements or guarantee a fixed time saving. It also does not confirm every part of the planned 2027 rollout.
The useful takeaway is a limited, e-passport-based trial at seven airports with selected flights. For another current transport update, our Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper guide explains why an announced service and a confirmed booking for your date remain separate checks.
