CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News /Agencies/ Delhi: New Delhi: The expansion of the DigiYatra facility has begun as part of efforts to make international air travel more convenient. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has started trials for international passengers at seven major airports in the country, including Delhi. Under this system, eligible passengers will be able to pass through designated airport checkpoints using facial recognition. The trial will run from November to December 2026, and based on the experience, the facility is planned to be launched on a wider scale in 2027.

For now, the facility will not be available to all passengers. In the first phase, Indian citizens holding valid e-passports will be able to use it. The facility will be for eligible passengers travelling on select international flights of Air India and IndiGo.

The trial is being conducted at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai and Amritsar airports. Passengers will be able to verify their digital identity through the systems available at the airport terminal entry gate, security hold area and boarding gate.

To use this facility, passengers will have to create an e-passport-based digital verifiable credential on the DigiYatra mobile app. For this, it will be necessary to scan the machine-readable part of the passport, read the passport’s electronic chip using the mobile phone’s NFC feature, and verify identity by taking a selfie. The digital credential will then remain securely stored on the passenger’s mobile phone.

However, DigiYatra will not be a substitute for mandatory documents required for international travel. Passengers will have to carry their passport and other necessary documents and complete airline checks, immigration and other prescribed formalities.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DigiYatra platform has more than 2.65 crore users, and more than 11 crore journeys have been completed through it at 39 domestic airports.

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