India is making significant strides in technology and travel. To enhance the experience for international travelers, the country has begun issuing chip-enabled e-passports. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, these e-passports are designed to improve security, simplify immigration procedures, and comply with global travel standards. This initiative is part of the Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0, which commenced on April 1, 2024. Currently, e-passports are available in 13 cities across India. This guide will cover all essential information regarding e-passports.
What is an E-Passport?
An E-Passport is a combined paper and electronic passport with a Radio Frequency Identification Chip and an antenna embedded as an inlay of the passport that contains the personal particulars and biometric information of the passport holder. The E-Passport will be visually identifiable as a small additional gold color symbol printed below the front cover of the passport. The information stored will be
- Photograph
- Fingerprints
- Date of Birth
- Passport Number
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Cities Offering E-Passport
As of now, E-Passports are available at Regional Passport Offices in these 13 cities-
- Delhi
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Nagpur
- Bhubaneshwar
- Goa
- Jammu
- Shimla
- Raipur
- Amritsar
- Jaipur
- Surat
- Ranchi
There are plans to expand the E-Passport to all Indian cities later in 2025.
Features of E-Passport
The data stored on the RFID chip is encrypted and protected by international security protocols to prevent tampering or unauthorized access. MEA claims that the system uses Public Key Infrastructure to
- Authenticate Data
- Maintain the integrity of personal details
- Prevent misuse during immigration or identity fraud
This will ensure that the passport is genuine and has not been tampered with.
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Benefits of an E-Passport
- E-Passports will allow faster processing at airports via automated e-gates as they will be scanned instantly without manual checking.
- Data Security Encryption and PKI frameworks will protect sensitive data and reduce the risk of identity theft and document fraud.
- E-Passports will comply with ICAO standards and are already in use in countries like USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Brazil and Australia.
How to Apply for an E-Passport
One can apply for an e-passport online via the official Passport Seva Online Portal-
- Register on the Passport Seva Portal.
- Log in using your credentials.
- Click “Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport”. Choose Fresh for a new application and Reissue if you already have a passport of the same type.
- Fill the application form, submit it, and pay the charges online.
- Book an appointment at your preferred PSK or RPO.
- Go to the center with the original documents on the appointment date and time.
- After the processing is done, the E-Passport will be delivered to your registered address.
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What should Existing Passport Holders Do?
Now, the existing valid passport holders will ask whether it is mandatory for them to sign up for an E-passport. The answer is NO. All Passports issued by the GOI will continue to remain valid till their validity expiry date. As and when a respective Passport office is technically enabled for issuance of E-Passport, the citizens applying under that office will get the E-Passport. The phase wise roll out of E-Passport covering all Passport Offices across India may take few months.
Until then, existing physical passports will remain valid till their expiration date.
Charges for an E-Passport
Currently, the Passport Seva Website doesn’t specify the charges for an E-passport. However, they might remain similar or slightly higher than the charges for manual passports, which are as follows-
- Rs. 1500 for a fresh/re-issued passport of 36 pages, includes additional booklet due to exhaustion of visa pages of 10 years validity.
- Rs. 2000 for a fresh/re-issued passport of 60 pages, includes additional booklet due to exhaustion of visa pages of 10 years validity.
- Rs. 1000 for fresh/re-issued passport of 36 pages for minors below 18 years of age, or 5 years validity or till minor attains age of 18.
- Rs. 3000 for replacement of passport (36 pages) in lieu of a lost, damaged or stolen passport.
- Rs. 3500 for replacement of passport (60 pages) in lieu of a lost, damaged or stolen passport.
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Drawbacks of E-Passports
- If embedded chip gets damaged or malfunctions, passport might become unreadable at automated gates or scanners, causing last minute delays and needing manual processing.
- As of now all Indian airports or immigration checkpoints too might not be equipped to handle E-Passports leading to uneven experience.
- Older adults or less tech-savvy people might face challenges understanding or trusting E-Passports.
- They might cost more than existing manual passports.
- The RFID chip might be hacked or cloned if not properly encrypted, leading to fraud.
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