India to End Immigration Boarding Pass Stamping at Airports From September 1

International passengers departing from Indian airports will no longer be required to carry a physical boarding pass for immigration clearance from September 1, with immigration authorities set to discontinue the practice of stamping boarding passes. Passengers travelling abroad will instead be able to produce an electronic boarding pass on their smartphones during immigration clearance, officials said. The move follows an official directive issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs to airport authorities across the country. E-Boarding Passes to Be Accepted at Immigration According to officials, the BOI reviewed the existing system and found that the mandatory use and stamping of physical boarding passes was causing inconvenience to international travellers. There were also instances where improperly or incorrectly stamped boarding passes created difficulties in reading the documents, officials said. Following the review, the BOI decided to remove the mandatory requirement for physical boarding passes and discontinue the stamping of boarding passes at immigration counters at international airports across India. From September 1, passengers can show their e-boarding passes on smartphones for immigration clearance. Physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted. However, immigration authorities will no longer stamp them. CISF Stamping Practice Already Discontinued Officials said the Central Industrial Security Force ( CISF ) does not stamp boarding passes during the frisking of international passengers. Travellers are required to produce their boarding pass only when required for immigration clearance. The practice of CISF stamping boarding passes for both domestic and international passengers had already been discontinued several years ago. The latest decision is expected to make immigration procedures simpler and reduce the need for international passengers to carry and manage physical travel documents. Immigration Stamps for Indian Passport Holders May Also Be Phased Out The government is also examining a pilot project aimed at doing away with immigration entry and exit stamps for Indian passport holders. Officials said the measure is expected to be expanded across airports in India after the completion and assessment of the pilot project. The move is part of a broader effort to simplify airport procedures and increase the use of digital systems for passenger processing. In a separate development, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) on Friday reduced the User Development Fee ( UDF ) at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport for the five-year control period ending March 2031. Under the revised structure, the UDF has been set at Rs 300 for domestic passengers and Rs 997 for international passengers. For the first time, AERA has implemented the incremental Average Revenue Requirement (ARR) framework, under which costs incurred by the Bengaluru airport operator on major capital expenditure projects can be recovered from passengers only after the projects are completed. Also Read: Guwahati: Opposition-Backed Protest Demands Pranab Doley’s Release, NSA Withdrawal