International flyers won't need physical boarding passes from Sep 1: Report

International passengers flying out of India will no longer be required to carry a physical boarding pass or get it stamped at immigration counters from September 1, according to an internal communication reviewed by Hindustan Times. The earlier mandatory requirement to produce a physical boarding pass and have it stamped by an immigration officer will be discontinued at all international airports.

According to the report, passengers can show their e-boarding passes at immigration counters for clearance. Physical boarding passes will also continue to be accepted, but immigration officials will no longer stamp them.

According to the Hindustan Times report, the internal communication was issued by Deepak Yadav, an official with the Delhi Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). The decision has been sent to stakeholders, including international airport operators and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Why has the boarding pass rule been changed?

The existing process of requiring passengers to produce physical boarding passes caused inconvenience, while there were also instances of errors in reading boarding passes because of improper or incorrect stamping, Hindustan Times reported, citing the internal communication.

“The matter has been examined by the Bureau of Immigration and it has now been decided to do away with the mandatory requirement of physical boarding passes and the stamping of boarding passes at Immigration counters, at all international airports in the country,” the communication said. The Bureau of Immigration has asked airport and aviation stakeholders to sensitise their staff about the new procedure.