The Ministry of External Affairs, India, on January 7, signed an agreement for the second phase of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP). The second phase of PSP facilitates for rolling out of microchip-embedded e-passports.
The focus will be on faster delivery of passports to the citizens and creating a more effective integration between various wings of the Government like the MEA and the local police network that can work in harmony for verification of applicants and quick tracing in case of emergencies.
The move is likely to make passports tamper-proof and facilitate hassle-free immigration worldwide.
An e-Passport, also known as an electronic passport or a biometric passport, combines an electronic chip with a biometric identifier. The new chip-embedded e-passports will have security elements to prevent unauthorised reading of data stored on the chip.
The announcement was made by Secretary to Government of India in Ministry of External Affairs, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, on social media on January 6.
All passports in India are printed on booklets. Still, this new initiative by the Indian Government is a big step towards adhering to protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Under the second phase, an electronic file system for processing passports across the passport issuance ecosystem; Security Operation Centre (SOC) and monitoring & supervision through a Network Operation Centre (NOC) will also be created.
How to apply?
The application process will remain the same, from filing the application form on the government website to choosing your location and date of the appointment for document verification, the procedures for applying for an e-passport. The issuance time too will remain unaffected by the new system.
e-Passport India Benefits
1- The e-passport will be secured with biometric data.
2- The e-passport will enable smooth passage through immigration posts worldwide.
3- The e-passport will comply with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
4- The chip on the e-passport will restrict the unauthorised transfer of data through radio-frequency identification (RFID).
5- The e-passport will also deter identity theft and forgery.
e-Passport India Launch Date
According to some reports, India has already issued 20,000 official and diplomatic e-Passports on a trial basis. Former President Pratibha Patil was the first recipient of an e-passport way back in 2008.
The Ministry of External Affairs has assigned the task of designing the security features of the new e-passport to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Indian Security Press in Nashik. However, the process of granting and printing passports will remain with the Government.
Current Indian passports fall under the Machine-Readable Travel Document (MRTD) category, which the ICAO introduced in 2016. This is characterised by two lines at the bottom of the first page of the passport booklet that contains details unique to the passport holder.
