According to the Ministry of External Affairs, e-passport was initially introduced as a pilot project on April 1, 2024. Currently, only a few passport offices across India have the facility to issue these passports. The latest update shows that e-passport is currently available at select passport centers located in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Surat, Nagpur, Goa, Jammu, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur and Ranchi.

What is an e-passport?

It is a contactless chip, which is usually embedded in the back or front cover. With its help, immigration and travel procedures at the airport become much easier. You can identify the e-passport by the golden chip logo printed on its front cover.

How to apply for an e-passport?

• – First sign up on the Passport Seva Online Portal.
• – After signing up, now log in to it.
• – Now select the new “Apply for New Passport/Passport Re-Issue” option.
• – If you have never had this type of passport before, select “New”.
• – If you are renewing an existing passport, select “Reissue”.
• – Pay fees online and make an appointment at your preferred passport office.
• – Print the receipt or save the SMS confirmation for the day of the appointment.
• – On the scheduled date, visit the selected Passport Seva Kendra with your documents for verification and biometric capture.

Special Features of e-Passport

• – India’s new e-passport comes with an advanced technological upgrade that makes it more secure.
• – A small electronic chip is fitted in the front cover of the e-passport.
• – This chip contains a lot of your information (such as fingerprints, your photo and eye scan).
• – It also contains your personal information such as name, date of birth, passport number.
• – This chip works without touching and transmits information securely.
• – This passport is made as per the world’s regulations (ICAO).

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