International travelers are set to get a welcome convenience at airports starting September 1. Authorities have announced that passengers will no longer need to get their boarding passes stamped at immigration counters. The Bureau of Immigration, functioning under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has decided to do away with this requirement at all international airports across the country. As a result, passengers will be able to obtain immigration clearance directly by simply showing the digital or e-boarding pass on their phones. Those carrying a printed paper boarding pass can continue to use it as well — the only change is that it will no longer be stamped.
News agencies ANI and PTI have confirmed that this new rule will come into effect from September 1, and will apply to counters at all international airports in the country. This does not mean paper boarding passes will stop working — travelers can still present a printed pass at the counter, but officials will simply no longer stamp it. Passengers are therefore free to use whichever format is more convenient for them, whether a digital pass on their phone or a printed paper copy.
The Immigration Department noted that stamping boarding passes had been causing considerable inconvenience to travelers. Officials pointed out that, in some cases, the stamp would not be applied properly, making the details on the pass difficult to read. This, they said, was the key reason behind the decision to do away with the practice altogether.