The Government of India has officially launched the e-Passport service, offering citizens across the country the option to apply for an advanced digital passport. This initiative is part of the broader digital transformation under the Passport Seva Programme 2.0.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the e-Passport was initially introduced as a pilot project starting April 1, 2024. The new passport combines physical and digital features to enhance security and streamline the travel experience.
Each e-Passport contains a Radio Frequency Identification chip and an inbuilt antenna. These components securely store the passport holder’s personal and biometric details. A gold-coloured emblem placed below the front cover helps distinguish the e-Passport from regular passports.
As of now, several Regional Passport Offices across cities including Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat and Ranchi have the infrastructure in place to issue these new-generation passports.
To apply for an e-Passport, individuals can follow these steps on the official Passport Seva website:
- Visit the Passport Seva portal.
- New users need to register and create an account, while existing users can log in with their credentials.
- Fill out the application form for the e-Passport by entering all required details.
- Choose a preferred Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra based on your location.
- Pay the necessary application fee.
- Book an appointment by selecting a suitable date and time.
- the selected centre on the appointment date to provide biometric data and submit required documents for verification.
The e-Passport offers several key benefits for travellers:
– It provides improved security with encrypted biometric data stored on the embedded chip.
– It helps speed up immigration processes and enables access to automated e-gates at airports.
– It complies with international travel standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
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