E-passport News

According to a release of the MEA, an e-Passport is a hybrid passport that combines both paper and electronic elements. It features an RFID chip and an antenna, which stores the data of the Passport holder in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

Indian e-Passport With RFID Biometric: More than 80 lakh e-passports have been issued in India since May 2025, when the country officially shifted to next-generation chipped passports under Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0. A senior official confirmed that India is steadily moving toward making all passports fully electronic by 2035.  In India, a new e-Passport costs Rs 1,500 for a 36-page booklet and Rs 2,000 for a 60-page booklet under the regular application process. Tatkal (expedited) fees are extra and not included in these prices. Also, an e-Passport is not a replacement for the regular passport—it is simply a more advanced, secure version of it.

India issues blue, white, red, and orange passports. E-passports improve travel security for citizens, officials, and diplomats.

E-passports, also known as biometric passports, represent a major leap in modernizing India’s passport system. An e-passport is an electronic passport embedded with a small microchip that stores the holder’s key personal and biometric information. The chip contains details like the holder’s name, date of birth, digital photograph, fingerprints, and a digitally signed certificate from the issuing authority.  The chip is compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, making Indian e-passports globally recognizable and secure. With the introduction of the e-passport, India now offers a technologically advanced and more secure version of the traditional passport, aimed at making international travel safer and more efficient. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

You can apply for a passport without any hassle Visit the official website and fill the information The passport will be delivered to your home through speed post

Experts believe that the move to introduce E-passport will further streamline the overall citizen experience, enhance security, and facilitate smoother international travel.

The passport jacket will include an electronic chip with vital security information encoded on it. Citizens will get chip-enabled e-Passports with additional security features from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Passports for Indian people are currently printed on booklets. There are 555 Passport Kendras in India, with 36 Passport Offices, 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSK), and 426 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK).