As part of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, the Ministry of External Affairs has rolled out the e-passport initiative. This is not just a major step towards the modernisation of India's passport system, but will also help avoid duplication of passport holders' data. E-passports will make identity verification more efficient, along with offering enhanced protection against fraud.
What Is An E-Passport?
An e-passport is a combination of traditional paper documentation with a secure, electronic chip that holds personal and biometric data. The e-passport uses a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Chip that stores all the personal information and biometric details.
How To Identify An E-Passport?
It is very easy to identify an e-passport as it will come with a small additional gold colour symbol printed below the front cover of the passport.
Key Benefits Of E-Passports?
Enhanced Security: The biggest advantage of the e-passport is that it has a digitally signed chip that reduces the risk of forgery, passport duplication and identity theft.
Data Protection: The Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) makes sure that sensitive data of the chip is encrypted and can’t be accessed or altered by unauthorised parties.
Seamless Travel Experience: This will make the travel experience seamless, as authentication of the passport will be easier because of the availability of the chip.
From Where Can You Get An E-Passport?
Currently, e-passports are being issued in 13 cities. They are - Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Nagpur, Raipur and Ranchi. The phase-wise roll out of ePassport covering all Passport Offices across India may take few months.
Is E-Passport Mandatory?
It is not mandatory as of now for valid passport holders to get a new e-passport. According to the government, all the passports issued by the authority will remain valid.