Indian passport in UAE hits historic moment with three designs

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Indian expats in the UAE are witnessing a first in passport history. For the first time ever, three completely different Indian passport designs are in circulation at the same time, creating a unique situation, and even a collector’s moment, for many families.

With the launch of the chip-embedded ePassport in the UAE announced by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai, Indian expat households will now include members carrying three generations of passport booklets: the pre-2021 design, the 2021 redesigned version, and the brand-new ePassport featuring an RFID chip and antenna.

This mix is likely to continue for years as renewal dates usually vary among family members.

The easiest way to tell them apart is by the cover. Though the colour is the same, the design is strikingly different.

As reported by Gulf News earlier, in the 2021 redesign, a reversal of the words "Passport" and "Republic of India" took place.

"Republic of India" appeared in a slightly bigger font at the top of the cover, while "Passport" was brought down below the emblem of India, an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, a sculpture of four Asiatic lions standing back-to-back on an elaborate base that includes other animals. The emblem is emblazoned in the centre.

The new ePassport keeps the 2021 layout but adds a small gold-coloured symbol at the bottom of the front cover, indicating the presence of an embedded chip.

Perhaps the biggest technical change is in the numbering system. The pre-2021 and 2021 redesigned passports follow a format of one letter followed by seven digits, while the ePassport breaks from this convention, using two letters followed by six digits.

A passport number acts as a unique identifier for each passport, used by government departments, airlines, and immigration authorities to verify a traveller’s identity, track travel history, and prevent fraud or misuse. It links directly to the passport holder’s personal details, such as name, nationality, and date of birth, stored in national and international databases. Because of its role in identity verification, it is considered sensitive information.

Each generation of passport represents a leap in security. Pre-2021 passports had basic features, with parents’ details printed on the inner back cover and single-side lamination.

The 2021 redesign introduced reverse stitching for better durability, double lamination on the last page, and anti-counterfeiting symbols featuring lotus and peacock motifs. The passport number was embossed on every page, and the letters “IND” [for India] were printed along the page edges, visible only when the pages were held together.

The newly introduced ePassport is both paper and electronic, with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and antenna embedded in the booklet. The chip securely stores the passport holder’s personal and biometric details.

The underlying security system of the much hyped ePassport uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a global standard that ensures the data on the chip cannot be altered or forged.

“The ePassport will have the data in printed form on the booklet, as well as digitally signed in the electronic chip, which can be securely authenticated by immigration officials globally; thus, safeguarding the passport from forgery and potential fraudulent activities like fake passports, while confirming the genuineness at border controls,” according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Yes. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that all Indian passports remain valid until their expiry date, regardless of design.

“As and when a respective passport office is technically enabled for issuance of ePassport, the citizens applying under that passport office will get the ePassport,” the ministry stated.

Thus, as reported by Gulf News, Indian expats do not need to replace older passports unless they are due for renewal.

The Indian missions in the UAE are expected to reveal more details about the ePassport project on Thursday.