India on Tuesday officially launched in 13 cities the first phase of its next-generation e-passport initiative, combining advanced electronic technology with the traditional paper passport format to enhance identity verification and strengthen travel document security. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this project began under a pilot phase in conjunction with the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which was initiated in April last year.
India launches e-passports with unique features in 13 cities, know what will happen to paper ones
India on Tuesday officially launched in 13 cities the first phase of its next-generation e-passport initiative, combining advanced electronic technology with the traditional paper passport format to enhance identity verification and strengthen travel document security. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this project began under a pilot phase in conjunction with the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, which was initiated in April last year.
Govt launches e-passports in 13 cities
The MEA confirmed that this is the first stage of a nationwide implementation expected to reach all Passport Seva Kendras across the country by mid-2025. The e-passports are currently being issued in several cities, including Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Ranchi, and Delhi. Tamil Nadu, notably, began issuing e-passports on March 3, 2025, at the Chennai Regional Passport Office. By March 22, 2025, the state had already issued 20,729 e-passports.
Features of e-passports
These high-tech passports are distinctly identifiable from regular ones, featuring a gold-coloured s
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