India has launched chip-based e-passports featuring RFID chips and biometric data, aimed at boosting travel security and global standardization.
Rolled out under Passport Seva Programme 2.0, the initiative also brings new rules effective from 2025, including mandatory birth certificates, digital residential addresses, and removal of parents’ names from passports.
This marks a major step in India’s digital governance and commitment to secure international mobility.
Key Features of Chip-Based E-Passports
- Embedded RFID Chip & Antenna: Stores biometric and personal data securely.
- Enhanced Security: Difficult to forge or duplicate.
- Scannable Barcode: For digital access to residential addresses by immigration officers.
Objectives
- Improve passport security and global compatibility.
- Streamline immigration processes and reduce fraud.
- Support digital India and paperless governance goals.
Implementation and Rollout
- Pilot Launch: April 1, 2024.
- Cities Currently Issuing E-Passports: Chennai, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Amritsar, Goa, Raipur, Surat, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, and Shimla.
- Issued through selected Regional Passport Offices (RPOs).
New Passport Rules (2025)
- Birth Certificate Mandatory: For those born on or after October 1, 2023.
- Residential Address Digitally Embedded: No longer printed on the last page.
- Parents’ Names Removed: Personal data now streamlined to only essential information.
