India rolls out e-passports: Features, benefits, and how to apply – what travellers need to know

Dubai: India has officially launched its e-passport, a high-tech upgrade to the traditional passport, embedded with electronic features to boost security and streamline identity verification.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), e-passports are currently available in select cities and will be extended to all Passport Seva Kendras across the country by the end of 2025.

An e-passport combines the conventional passport booklet with an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and antenna inside the back cover. This chip securely stores the holder’s personal and biometric information, including photos and fingerprints, allowing for faster, more reliable identity verification at immigration counters.

The initiative was launched under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which began on April 1, 2024, as per the MEA.

You can identify an e-passport by spotting a small gold-coloured symbol on the front cover. This indicates the presence of an RFID chip inside.

E-passports offer both printed and digitally signed data, making it more secure and harder to forge. This digital enhancement also enables quicker immigration processing. Travellers with e-passports can now use automated lanes in airports where biometric passport verification is supported. 

The application process remains the same as that for a regular passport. Citizens can apply via the Passport Seva Portal, schedule an appointment at the nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), and submit their biometric information.

The MEA has clarified that there is no mandatory requirement to switch to an e-passport. All existing passports will remain valid until their expiry date, and the transition to e-passports will be gradual and voluntary. 

Currently, e-passports are issued at regional Passport Offices in cities including Jammu, Goa, Nagpur, Shimla, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Ranchi, Surat, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Amritsar, and Raipur. The MEA has announced plans to extend e-passport availability nationwide in the coming months.

The launch of e-passports signals the start of a phased transition to a more secure and efficient passport system. As the initiative expands nationwide, it is expected to simplify international travel for Indian citizens and reinforce the country’s push toward adopting advanced, technology-driven public services.

India joins a growing list of countries that have adopted e-passports, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Brazil, and Australia, reflecting a global shift toward secure, efficient, and technology-driven travel documentation.