India Stops Boarding Pass Stamps And Accepts Mobile E-Passes

NEW DELHI/DUBAI, August 29, 2026: The Bureau of Immigration has announced a significant change to airport immigration procedures for passengers departing from India to international destinations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, effective September 1, 2026. Under the new policy, international passengers are no longer required to carry a printed boarding pass for immigration clearance. Travelers may now present an e-boarding pass on their smartphones, which will be accepted via airline apps, mobile wallets, or digital passes issued by airlines.

Changes to Airport Procedures

Furthermore, immigration officers will discontinue the practice of stamping boarding passes at immigration counters. This change applies to all international airports across India. The Bureau of Immigration clarified that while physical boarding passes remain valid and will be accepted if provided by an airline or kept by the passenger, they will not be stamped. This measure aims to reduce passenger inconvenience caused by incorrect or unclear stamping and to streamline the clearance process at major hubs, including Kerala, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kozhikode, Kochi, and Lucknow.

Travel Requirements and Tips

Airport operators, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and other aviation stakeholders have been instructed to sensitize staff regarding these revised procedures. The Bureau of Immigration emphasizes that this change does not eliminate the requirement for a valid boarding pass for international travel, nor does it alter requirements for passports, visas, residence permits, or destination-specific entry documents. For example, Gulf residents must still ensure their UAE residence visa or Emirates ID, Saudi Iqama, Qatar ID, Kuwait residency, Bahrain permit, or Oman residence status are valid.

Passengers relying on digital boarding passes are advised to ensure their mobile phones are charged and to save passes in airline apps, phone wallets, or as offline screenshots to mitigate potential mobile data or connectivity issues at airports. Additionally, participants enrolled in the Fast Track Immigration–Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) are authorized to use e-boarding passes at e-gates to expedite immigration clearance. This shift toward a digital immigration model complements previous moves by the CISF, which had already discontinued boarding pass stamping for security screening purposes.