▪ If everything goes well then from next year onwards you would get E-Passports (Also called Bio-metric/Digital Passports) embedded and with an electronic microprocessor chip. After you apply for a new password or seek a re-issue in 2021.
▪ It is being claimed that due to the microprocessor chip it will be difficult to copy the information.
As per Sources, Government to issue e-passports from 2021 for every Indian Citizen. The government had completed the trial to issue 20,000 e-passports. This step has been taken by the government to make passports difficult to forge beside enabling quicker immigration for International passengers. It contains a security chip with all personal data and digital images. In the first phase new
passports will have a 64 KB chip carrying a photograph of the passport holder and in subsequent phases it will have a fingerprint.
Till now, the passports provided to the citizens are the printed booklets which would be easy to copy but they would be equipped with new technology, it will be difficult to commit fraud.
The e-passport will be based on the ICAO standards (International civil aviation organization).
• The chip in the e-passports adds advanced security features to it.
• The software for e-passports has been developed by National Informatics Centre and IIT Kanpur, and no other commercial agency is involved in this process.
• E-Passports can be read in just a few seconds which will save time too. All 36 passport offices in India will issue these e-passports after the components of the e-passport personalization system are inducted in the existing passport issuance system at all passport offices.
On the occasion of Passport Seva Divas, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said “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 emphasize the need to hasten that as much as possible.” He also added – I emphasize that it is necessary to roll out the manufacture of e-passports on a priority basis.
