E-Passport For All Indians From Next Year: Report

As per the Economic Times report, the government has initiated the process of issuing e-passports for all its citizens and likewise is on the hunt for an agency that would develop IT infrastructure and solution for implementing the large scale project.

E-Passport For All Indians From Next Year: Report

So, from next year onwards it is highly likely that on applying for a new passport or making a reissue application, you will be given an e-passport with an electronic microprocessor chip. The move will render forgery of passports tougher and also enable speed immigration for international passengers.

Earlier on a trial basis, the centre had issued 20,000 official and diplomatic e-passports with such chips. In the present scenario, passports issued to Indians are personalized and printed on booklets.

Such e-passports will be based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

All of the 36 passport offices in the country will be issuing e-passports as and when the elements of the personalization system are incorporated into the current issuance system, said the ET report.

On the need to hasten the launch of e-passports, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on June 24 said their roll-out will fortify the safety of Indian travel documents.

For chip-based e-passports, external affairs ministry has collaborated with Indian Security Press, Nashik, and National Informatics Centre.

"I am very confident that the introduction of e-passports will greatly strengthen the security of our travel documents. I understand that the procurement process for its production is currently underway and I would emphasise the need to hasten that as much as possible," he had said.

"I emphasise that it is necessary to roll out the manufacture of e-passports on a priority basis," Jaishankar added.

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