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The Government of India has taken a major step to make international travel more secure and efficient by launching the e-passport. This new passport is designed to keep personal and biometric details safe and to prevent duplication or forgery. The e-passport is being issued under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which started on April 1, 2024, as shared by the Ministry of External Affairs.
What is an E-Passport?
An e-passport is a regular passport combined with electronic features. It contains a special chip known as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and an antenna. These are placed inside the passport and store important information such as the holder's name, photo, and biometric data in a secure way.
How to Recognise an E-Passport
It is easy to identify an e-passport. Just look at the front cover. A small gold symbol below the word "passport" shows that the booklet includes an electronic chip.
Main Benefits of E-Passports
One of the biggest advantages of the e-passport is the strong protection it gives to your personal details. While the booklet has printed data like the regular passport, the chip inside is digitally signed. This means immigration officers at airports around the world can quickly and safely check the passport and verify that it has not been tampered with.
Safety Features for Indian Travellers
The e-passport's two types of information-printed and digital-make it much harder for anyone to make fake or duplicate passports. This provides greater peace of mind to Indian travellers, knowing their documents are well protected.
How the Data is Kept Safe
The chip uses a special system called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). This system helps to store and secure personal and biometric data. It makes sure only authorised systems can access the information stored in the passport.
Where to Get an E-Passport in India
At present, e-passports are being issued at several regional Passport Offices across India. These include Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, and Ranchi. More cities are expected to offer e-passports in the near future.
No Need to Replace Old Passports
If you already have a passport, there is no need to worry. All existing passports are still valid until they expire. You will only receive an e-passport when you apply for a new one or renew your current one.
This move brings India in line with international standards and ensures safer travel for its citizens.
