CHENNAI: Indian e-passport holders flying abroad from Chennai can now clear terminal entry, security checks and boarding using facial recognition, with the city joining the Digi Yatra trials for international passengers that began on November 1.
The trials, which will run until December 31, cover IndiGo’s Chennai-Dubai (6E 1471) and Chennai-Colombo (6E 1179) flights to begin with. Airport sources said more airlines and destinations would be added in phases.
Chennai is one of seven airports where the facility is being tested, along with Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin and Amritsar. Feedback from the trials will inform a wider rollout planned for 2027.
To use the facility, the passengers must create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential on the Digi Yatra app: scan the passport’s machine-readable zone, read its embedded chip using the smartphone’s NFC feature, and take a selfie for verification. The credential is stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet and can be used at the enabled touchpoints.
The trial is voluntary and open only to Indian citizens holding chip-enabled e-passports. It does not replace airline document checks or immigration procedures, and passengers must continue to carry their travel documents.
Airport staff, known as Digi Buddies, will help passengers register and use the system, sources added.